Games
by squeekness
Summary: Jael plays the Game while Kimble and Aiden play a game of their own. Part eight of the Game.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Jael plays the Game while Kimble and Aiden play a game of their own. Part eight of the Game.

Rated M for profanity, violence and some sexual content.

Disclaimer : I do not own the X-men or any of their associated villains, but the Siskans, the Dognan, Jael and the Outkasts are mine. Please do not use them without my permission. Thanks. :)

Art for Decisions has been added to my webpage if any one is interested in looking at it.

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(One)

_Like all the Siskans in the Game we are fated to find some special object, our precious Angels. When one thinks of objects, we usually think of something like a cup or a book. Instead, my sister Babette brought home a child._

_Oh, he was a poor wretched thing – a tiny human infant someone had dumped in a garbage can and left for dead. Or at least, that was what we were expected to think. One look at his shine told me otherwise. It was sparkling and bright and even though it was Babette who had brought him home, I loved him with just as much devotion as she did. She named him David and he came to live with us in the harem._

_This alone tells you how loving our Master was. Babette had snuck out of the palace and brought home her Angel, an infant that could just as easily been stolen. Trishnar knew better though, and he gave my sister no trouble over it. As the Master, he had every right to take David away for himself but he did not. He loved Babette and so allowed David to be raised by us as we saw fit. _

_I fell in love with David from the first moment I saw him. He was a tiny baby but smiled and laughed almost right away. He was so easy to please and I played with him often, establishing a bond a with a human I had never felt before or since. _

_Already I can hear you scoff again. Yes, I know I am an overly proud and stubborn creature. Yes, I am withdrawn and sullen. I have a whipcrack temper and a harsh mouth. I can be quite crude when the fancy strikes me and I have never thought twice about speaking my mind. How could I possibly care for a human child with any skill? I cannot explain it, but David's pure innocence charmed me immediately. I couldn't hold back anything from him, least of all my love. He loved to laugh and play and perhaps I had needed him to remind me that it was okay to do these things freely and truly live. He thawed my ice cold heart._

_As David grew from an infant into a toddler, he was in my bed as often as Babette's. She would hold him and kiss him as any mother would, but he was drawn to me for the stories I would whisper to him and the songs I sang. I loved to hold him in my arms as he slept, my eyes looking over that peaceful face. He had the finest white skin and long lovely lashes, he was the most beautiful living creature I knew. I loved to hear the sound of his heart beating and feel the heat that came from his tiny body as it lay curled up against me. His love was innocent and pure, and while I am a purely sexual creature, I would never have harmed him. Babette was never jealous of his love for me, maybe she figured wisely that a child needed both a father and a mother and with us, David certainly had both._

_He was unlike many of the humans I had met, so fresh and young, and because he was so new to the world, had not formed the many hatreds that I had thought all humans possessed. He didn't see me or his new mother as anything less than real. He loved us freely and unconditionally, always wanting to held and kissed and petted. _

_Since David was so close to me in both body and living soul, it wasn't long before I began to have visions about him. Mostly they were happy and pleasant ---- David bringing me a gift, David painting, David getting a new outfit from his loving mother. But when David turned five, the visions began to change and not for the better._

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Star was restless in the huge master suite of the Cloud Jumper and she paced about, unable to hide her nervousness. The Master wasn't here, he was outside, preparing for war. Jael had received word that Tranan was ready to play the Game and they had just now arrived in California, the place chosen for them to battle --- Yosemite Park. This was no different than when her Mistress Sheba had been invited to play and the same issues were troubling the Rogue Siskan, the same questions — will my Master win? If not, where will I go next? Star didn't know anything about Tranan, all she knew as fact was that he was Dognan.

_At least Tranan won't kills us. He seems to want his Siskans around,_ Luma grumbled in response to Star's jumbled thoughts. Star was still split, Jael had done nothing for this condition, not that he'd noticed any such thing. As long as Star served him without hesitation, all was well in his world even if it was not in Star's. Luma was the Protector of them and like Aiden's Father personality, always had advice and encouragement to pass along.

_You don't knows that,_ Star silently replied to her inner sister. Star didn't speak her voices aloud, she'd learned long ago that it made others uncomfortable. Her conversations were all internal but no less agonizing. _On the other hand, it would shure be nice ta sees some of my brothers and sisters again, I wonders who might be there in Tranan's harem._

Star had lived a long life, but had not met many of her kin. She had some vague memories that went back to the beginning, of when she was first made, and most of them were pleasant and happy. Quishnalay had been frightening and cruel, but those of her kin whom she had spent time with had been good people, souls worth fighting for. She could recall Asher, a gentle Rogue like herself with a Grey Mark who always went out of his way to make her happy. She would be pleased to see him again, but had no way of knowing who possessed him now.

Star continued to pace, feeling lonely and small. Sheba had known that Star was special and kept her segregated the same way that Jael was doing with her now. The isolation gave Star too much time to think on what had befallen her poor clutchmates, especially the ones that had been destroyed. Because she had seen so few of her kin, it made their senseless destruction that much more painful for her. So many opportunities for love and friendship wasted and now lost forever. The thought of it renewed her hatred for her current Master, something jarring her inside as it conflicted with her programming, she wasn't supposed to hate those she served.

And she did hate them. Of all of Jael's men, only Razel had been given the privilege of her use and she despised him worse than Jael. He was a man without finesse, he came at her like a young boy, all selfishness and madness. His touch was cruel and she couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever loved anyone in his life. He fucked without any attempt to pleasure her as well, as though the idea of it never crossed his mind. His carelessness was almost worse than the bruises he gave her when he couldn't restrain his desire. She knew she was all he thought about, that he would take her from Jael if he had dared. If his love for Jael hadn't been stronger than what he thought he felt for her.

What Star desired in life was what all Siskans desired -- a true Master. A Master who was a real lover in every sense. Star was fast losing hope. It was fading along with her desire to live.

_The Game is not over yet,_Luma said, butting into those worrisome thoughts again and offering encouragement. She didn't want Star to despair. _Remember what the Master said? He's setting up in Arizona for a reason. There are still more players yet in this Game. _

Star moved to the large glassed window, looking out at the trees that surrounded them now. Yosemite was a large park and they were hidden well from view. The ship was large and they were high up, giving her a spectacular view. She saw none of it, she was losing herself in a gentle dream of love. She was naked as always and ran her hands over her large orange Mark, closing her eyes as she daydreamed. In her fantasies, she was possessed by a perfect Master. He was always much larger than herself and so would protect her from the harsh and cruel outside world. There was fur, too. Soft and luxurious fur all over. All of her owners had been Dognan as were the majority of her clients. It had been odd serving Razel, he was small and hairless, almost cold against her skin.

_Where are yous, my Master?_ Star asked the man in her dream, a tear slipping out of one eye. _When will you comes and rescue me?_

_It's too big in here,_ came another soft whisper. This was Kinta the Fearful, roused by Star's sadness. _Let's go back to the bed and lie under the blankets. I don't wants to see the outside no more._

_Shush, little sister,_ Star replied, wiping at her face and trying to gather some courage. _It'll be all right, I promise._

Just to calm herself some, she stepped back from the window. She retreated to the bed and did lie under the blankets, but not to hide. Instead, she closed her eyes and returned to her daydream. It wasn't like her to sleep so much, but Jael had left her few amusements and this was all she had. Although the fight that would soon take place outside was about her and her kin, she would not be participating.

Star did not possess the gift of foresight as Aiden did, but sometimes she just knew things. Things like knowing that Jael would not be the last one to own her. Her thoughts of another man, a large furred being rang true in some strange way she could not deny. It was the only thing that gave her any sense of hope. It was that small thread of hope that was keeping her going. _Maybe Tranan won't be so bad,_ she thought, smiling now. _Yeah, it just gots to be so. He'll be the one to loves me. It has to be so, anything gots to be better than this._

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Jael stepped down from the Cloud Jumper and smiled at the coolness of fresh grass beneath his feet. They had completed their journey here to Yosemite National Park and he had selected a nice clearing in one of the more isolated parts of this vast forest in which to land. It wasn't far from the coordinates he had given to Tranan to guide the pirate here.

Jael had chosen this area precisely because it was isolated -- whatever happened here today, he wanted to escape the notice of the X-men who might be scanning all of the news reports for unusual mutant activity. There would be no civilians here, no casualties other than the fighters that came. No one to send out a warning to the X-men that anything was taking place.

Jael was looking forward to this battle. He considered it his last major obstacle in the Game before taking on Xavier's group. Not that Jael considered Xavier a competitor in the Game, it was his pride that was at stake. So many times he'd gone after Kimble only to be rudely rebuffed and sent packing. No, with Tranan defeated and his Shalayesk components taken, going after Xavier should be little trouble. Kimble would be his, the X-men defeated, and this planet ready for the taking. He would be King and all the pathetic humans here his subjects.

Jael turned at the noise of others coming down the ramp behind him. Razel had come, already checking out the area. A group of the more powerful stood behind him, awaiting orders. Jael looked at them, "Fan out," he ordered, gesturing to the trees. "Hide where you can."

They nodded and left, melting into the forest as though they had never been. Razel had stayed behind, taking a protective stance behind his Master. "He's late."

"Tranan will be here. His pride demands it."

True to form, Jael looked up a moment later when another ship suddenly winked into view above him. He was startled and more than a little frightened. Tranan had not used a Dognan cloak, something alarming. Jael had no idea just how long that ship had been there, watching him. It was a warning not to underestimate his foe.

The ship pulled to one side and landed gracefully, giving ample space between them. Like the Cloud Jumper, this vessel was also of Dognan manufacture, but judging by the cloak, had some after market enhancements. It was large and sleek, glittering silver in the sunlight like a mighty jewel, a lovely crescent shape that closely resembled Fallen's Lucky Dragon. It was the Dognan who had instructed her how to build such ships and it was no secret that this one had also been crafted by pilots such as her.

The ramp came down and Tranan departed, walking with all of the casual arrogance of one who was used to success. He had been a successful pirate, it showed in his fine dress and the quality of the weapons at his side. Tranan was full Dognan royalty and it showed. He was darkly furred and winged, his body full size and well muscled. He was not dressed in the usual cavalry uniform, but in a rough mixture of those cultures he had encountered. He did not appear to have body armor, but that meant nothing, he could have other means of protection. Most notable was the long sword sashed to his waist.

Like Jael, he'd come escorted by a group of his own men. They were a motley bunch, all shapes and sizes with skins of many colors. These were not mutants from here, but a large collection of aliens from the many cultures that Tranan had befriended in his travels. The fact that they were aliens didn't mean they were harmless, of course. Some were winged, others clawed or scaled. All walked with the same professional ease, they would not be taken lightly.

That notion was about to be tested. The moment Tranan touched grass, Jael's camouflaged group from the woods attacked. They had not been ordered to do so, they did it on their own, hoping to even the odds a little better before the actual fight began. It was a mistake.

Tranan's people reacted quickly. Out came weapons the like of which Jael had never seen, plasma guns and disintegrator pistols. There was a cloud of smoke and some screaming, the end result never in question. In a matter of seconds, Jael's men were gone, obliterated and melted into smoking chunks.

Tranan just clicked his tongue at Jael's stupidity and shook a finger at him, grumbling in accented Dognan, **_"I know what you did at Trishnar's, word of your treachery spread quickly and I always have an ear to the ground. Don't think you can get away with cheating with me." _**

"**_I would never have done such a thing,"_** Jael protested with mock offense. **_"You wound me by such an accusation. My men acted of their own accord. I would have punished them severely if you had not killed them already."_**

Tranan just snorted at him. **_"Please! I know full well what you did just as I know full well you didn't get all of Trishnar's Siskans."_**

Jael paused at that. **_"What do you mean?"_**

Tranan smiled with the wisdom of the well prepared. **_"Trishnar had a Rogue at Solestra. A rather powerful one, I might add. Pity for you he escaped."_**

Jael grumbled at that. He knew he didn't really have the means to go and fetch him. Solestra was light years away and Trishnar's former palace on the other side of the galaxy. The King hadn't resided there in years and Jael had simply assumed that he'd brought all of his Siskans here to Earth. It had been a mistake.

"_**Don't bother trying to work it out, Jael. I've already sent a scout out to go and collect him. He will be mine. If you want Trishnar's Grey, you'll have to go through me."**_

"_**It would be my pleasure."**_

Jael advanced but he knew he was on serious ground here. Even if he managed to defeat Tranan fair and square, there was always the risk that his pirates would exact their revenge. Their firepower had been frightening and Jael didn't scare easily. It had taken Tranan mere seconds to work through some of the better second stringers on his team and he didn't know if even some of his primary alphas could hold up. The first group hadn't been his core defense, he'd held those in reserve, but it looked like he might need them after all.

Well, time to get down to it. Jael drew his sword and charged, beginning. The two Dognan warriors clashed with a powerful noise, exciting the small crowd that watched. Men from both sides shouted and cheered, rooting for their champion, and more than one of them making small wagers. It was understood that for the moment, the lesser players were on truce and neither side was ready to break that. Didn't mean a few dollars couldn't be made.

The battle went on heartily inside the growing circle of onlookers. Tranan was good, but not as good as Trishnar had been. It didn't mean Tranan couldn't win and this time Jael wouldn't be allowed to use his alphas to cheat. No, this time it would all have to be done legitimately. Jael would have to be careful.

As they fought, Jael slashed and cut at Tranan's ornate clothing, revealing parts of his own set of Shalayesk armor underneath. Tranan was not as stupid as Sheba had been. He'd known what the Shalayesk was for and had armored himself with it, making himself just as protected as Jael was. They were on fairly even ground here, it was going to boil down to endurance and luck.

That armor was valuable. Jael felt it reacting to the battle as if it was a living thing, something bonded to himself. This was special armor and he was glad to have it. When he was struck the metal seemed to harden there on its own, protecting him. He wasn't going to be so easily wounded. Of course the same was true for Tranan, the battle was not going to be over quickly.

Swords flashed and danced in the sunlight as they felt each other out, looking for weaknesses. They were making a lot of noise, but after a few minutes neither one had been seriously injured, just some small nicks and cuts here and there. It was late summer now and more than a little hot. Both men were sweating now as they worked. Tentative and careful gestures were not going to hurry this along. Tranan was losing patience and lunged.

Jael was ready for him. Tranan was caught by Jael's powerful left hand and captured, drawn in close enough to be cut. He twisted and shoved against Jael, aggressive to a fault and refusing to give ground. He moved his feet, daring to come even closer. Both men were wrestling now, entangled in arms and upraised swords only just out of harm's way. They were up close to one another now, grunting hot breath at each other. Tranan laughed, **_"Well, isn't this cozy?"_**

"**_As always, a pleasure,"_** Jael chuckled in return, twisting savagely and snapping Tranan's right wrist with unexpected force.

Tranan howled and dropped his sword, no longer able to hold it. He ignored the grinding bones and quick as a wink produced a hidden dagger from a switchblade trigger holster in the gauntlet he wore on that arm. One swipe in retreat found Jael's throat.

Jael balked as he choked, blood and foam pouring from his mouth. The cut was serious but not immediately life threatening. He wasted no time and came forward, the only one left with a long range weapon. He slashed and chopped, seeking out Tranan who seemed to always dance out of reach.

Tranan was no fool, Jael's injury was more serious than his own broken wrist. He could wait for the other to tire from blood loss. He laughed and teased, hoping to excite Jael into being reckless.

It wasn't going to work. Jael was patient, slowing himself down and trying to take deeper breaths. He pretended greater weakness than was true and faltered, deliberately exposing one side. Tranan fell for it and came forward, screeching a challenge. He managed to bury his knife in Jael's offered side, but couldn't dodge Jael's own hidden dagger. Out it came and plunged deep into Tranan's neck, finding better purchase than his own had. Blood gushed forth in a pulsing torrent, betraying the artery that had been severed. Tranan thrashed and stabbed Jael again, a parting shot, but one not destined to succeed. He twitched and fell dead.

Men from both sides of the battle shouted, some cheering, others screaming rage. A quick scuffle broke out, but was quieted quickly by those in charge -- it seemed there was some kind of honor among these pirates and the troublemakers separated. Debts were paid and the bodies of the wounded and the dead were carried off the field.

Jael was severely injured. He had offered his side as a lure, knowing that if his gamble paid off, there was always Star to heal him. He would need her, he was losing blood quickly and offered no resistance as Razel and Marcus came and gathered him up quickly, lifting him to his feet. Jael growled deeply, catching the attention of the largest of Tranan's men. **_"I want what's mine!"_**

"You shall have it," the other said, politely using Earth English. "Give us a few minutes to see to Tranan and then we'll bring your prize."

"You have a half hour," Jael challenged, trying to make out that he was far less injured than he was. He was still concerned of some treachery and wanted to show no signs of potential weakness.

"We'll come."

Jael nodded and was carried away. He was now that much closer to winning the Game. All that remained was Xavier.


	2. Chapter 2

(Two)

At that moment and far away, a new day was beginning at the Xavier Complex in Arizona. The days had been passing and Star wasn't the only one trying to make due with their situation. Aiden and Babette were settling into their new place, adjusting to the changes. Babette did not go out often, she spent most of her time in their tiny apartment, curled up on the couch watching television.

Aiden was much too restless for that. He paced restlessly until his sister threw him out. Her persistent melancholy was a concern for him, but he was at a bit of a loss as to what to do about it. He tried to comfort her, to drag her out, but he only aggravated her and made her cross, something worse to him than her sadness. She would then order him out, her voice stern, but her vibrations were ones of apology. She understood that he wanted to help her but she would rather be left alone.

Getting the message, Aiden would then roam the halls of his level, taking notice of the job postings on a bulletin board. Most of the jobs were menial and not on his floor, not that he thought it would stop him from getting clearance. The jobs were for the less secure areas and some even outside. He was well aware of his personal and financial debt to Gambit and had promised himself to make good on it, a vow he would not break. He knew he wouldn't be able to put it off for much longer, but right now, he had much more on his mind.

It was only three days since their liberation from the Lab and already Aiden was going stir crazy. He wanted Kimble and wanted him now, but there were difficulties. Kim's small furloughs out of the Lab were not regularly scheduled and they sometimes missed each other. Aiden would still go and see him in the Lab, but it wasn't private enough for what he wanted.

Aiden was growing impatient.

Done with waiting, Aiden put all of his cleverness towards a plan of action. He needed a badge to get access to a private place for him and Kimble to play and knew that no one was simply just going to give him one. Aiden was a man of action and was done waiting for fate to assist him. He had made his plan and now, today was the day. He visited Kimble in the lab early that morning, slipping him a note, urging Kimble to ask to be allowed out at a certain time that morning. This was going to be a matter of perfect timing.

Aiden then made his way to the gym. He had grown to love this room, finding plenty of others to challenge in his favorite sport, racquetball. He was here sometimes as often as twice a day and even late at night if the dreams got to be too much. If he was alone, he chose to run on one of the many treadmills here, feeling the need to push the physical capabilities of his body. He needed to move.

But at the moment, he wasn't here for a game, he was using the best of his talent to be as inconspicious as possible. At Trishnar's palace, he had been quiet, silent, and often just to the side and not noticed. Aiden liked to watch people and had a talent for getting quite close without anyone being aware they were being spied on. It was a game to Aiden, one that sometimes included petty thievery. He could rival Remy in his slight of hand abilities and he put that to full use now. He slipped into the locker room like a ghost, his feet silent, as he made his way near to where some of the guys were changing. A group of men were being loud and rowdy, they had just played a round of basketball and the winners were crowing about it. Aiden had watched the men like this before. Here in this Complex, their home, they were all so relaxed and confident, never suspecting anyone around them. One of them had a gym bag wide open and its clothes all tumbled about in a mess. As a group, the men took their noise to the showers, leaving their clothes unattended. Aiden was quick to seize the opportunity and snagged one of their security badges just as neat as you please. He stole a wallet and some other items as well, to cover up the fact that it was the badge he wanted. These items he did not keep, but tossed onto one of the lockers where they would not be noticed. His heist successful, he slunk out of the locker room as fast as he'd slunk in and made his way out.

Aiden was almost all the way to the main exit of the gym when he was distracted by a familiar growly voice. This was not his beloved Kimble, this was Wolverine's low grumble. Aiden was intrigued enough to investigate and moved to one of the private rooms, areas that had been put aside for the self defense classes. Aiden had avoided these, he'd done enough fighting in his lifetime to never want that again, but he was curious now, wanting to watch the Security officer in action.

Aiden was a watcher of people, always had been. He used those observations to judge and assess people. He'd learned some about this mysterious angry man, the one with such a bright sparkly shine, but he would like to learn more. Aiden leaned in the open doorway of this room and observed Logan as he conducted his class. Wolverine was all business, running his students through their paces and then setting up some sparring sessions. This was a beginners' class and not one set at maximum contact, but it was enough that Aiden could get a feel for Logan's capabilities.

That and Aiden was a quick study.

Just by standing by and watching like this, the Dreamer was absorbing information his computer driven brain would memorize and utilize just as a human would after having gone through the class itself. He had a vast enough knowledge of hand to hand combat anyway, but there was always something new to learn. He watched Logan move, saw his weaknesses and remembered them. Maybe he might have a thing or to teach the mighty Wolverine...if given the chance.

Logan eventually finished his class and watched his students go. Even though he was in charge of Security, he had taken the time to set up some self defense classes, working alongside Gambit to this end. If everyone pulled together, they would have quite the little army here. Their numbers were increasing every day as more refugees were gathered. He wanted to be ready for when Jael inevitably arrived. That and he desperately needed the exercise. He was used to running missions, not staying home like this. Being cooped up was starting to drive him batty and these classes were a welcome distraction. It seemed it wasn't going to be the only distraction of this day.

Wolverine took a minute to stretch and saw Aiden lingering in the door of the gym, watching him. He had no idea how long the Siskan had been standing there, it bugged Logan to no end that these stupid walking 'grams had no scent and could be perfectly silent when they wanted to be.

That same small smile was fixed firmly in place on Aiden's face as his pale green eyes bored into him. Logan couldn't figure out if it was amusement or arrogance that kept it there. "Somethin' on yer mind?"

"You pretty faszt...for a human," the Siskan dared to tease, his grin growing a bit wider.

Arrogance, that's what it was. No doubt.

"You gonna back up them words or just stand there, all mouth and no action... Z?"

Aiden chuckled softly. This was Logan's new name for him. Logan seemed to be one of those who had to pin a moniker on someone as if a regular name wasn't good enough. He had begun calling Aiden "Z" because of his heavy accent.

Aiden walked away from the doorway and cruised on over, slipping off his shirt. All the ugly bruises and cuts from his battle at Trishnar's were gone. A few days of good sun had repaired him and no sign of that battle remained. This was a risk, the stolen badge had been placed in one of pockets a scant moment ago, but he was a creature who enjoyed walking on the edge, he couldn't resist. He took off his boots and walked out onto the mat, opening his arms expansively. "Loszer buysz de beer? Make disz wort' doin'?" he teased.

"I like ya better already," Wolverine replied with a grin. He was happy for this opportunity to interact with Aiden some, he wanted to get to know this Siskan a little better. It wouldn't hurt to know his capabilities as well. In the file Remy had created on this guy, he had mentioned that Aiden had supposedly been some kind of gladiator. Might be a good time to put that notion to the test.

"Won' be szo 'appy when you ze one to pay, non?" Aiden returned, his grin wider now with anticipation. He was so looking forward to this.

They circled and Logan lunged, making the first move. He felt a rush of air then all of his breath was gone as a sledgehammer blow hit his chest. He landed gracelessly on his back on the mat, the thud of his landing reverberating in his ears.

Now it had been some time since Wolverine had been dealt a blow like that. Being that it wasn't the first by far, it had been very informative. He knew that Siskans were stronger than humans, but not like this. Remy had mentioned that Aiden could make the spikes, that meant he was telekinetic. A telekinetic could enhance their blows with their power if they were skilled enough. Aiden had used this power to add to the force and velocity of his strike, nearly doubling it. Knowing this about his adversary, Logan would have to be a bit more respectful of that advantage.

Aiden circled him from a respectful distance, still smiling. He licked his lips like he was thirsty. "Disz ain' gonna take too long, eh? Good t'ing. Ze bar, she be callin' me."

Wolverine grunted and hopped to his feet. "That one ya get fer free, Z. Hope ya enjoyed it. It's gonna be yer last."

Aiden laughed and cracked his neck, warming up. Logan came at him again and this time, the Siskan changed tactics. He made quite a show out of dodging all of the other man's blows, moving at great speed, though not preternaturally so. It was more like he was 'reading' Logan, anticipating where Wolverine was going to go each time.

He did it with embarrassing ease. He let Logan come quite close, the ultimate tease. Aiden was like a ghost, untouchable. It was as if he wasn't really there. Every now and again, he'd trip Wolverine or shove him in just the right place, using his momentum against him just to watch him fall, clicking his tongue in mock disdain. "We goan' get zat drink, now, usz? You makin' Aiden t'irszty jusz' watchin' you fall all over your assz, man!"

Wolverine was getting a little steamed. This was somewhat humiliating but he wasn't going to let this twerp get the better of him. It did make him think. Aiden had come here, covered in bruises and claiming he got his butt kicked at Trishnar's. If he was so fast and strong, how did he get hurt? How did he supposedly barely get out of there alive? More and more, Logan believed his story was a lie.

"You gonna fight 'r dance around, little fairy?" Wolverine growled and came at him again.

Perhaps he should have thought before he spoke, Aiden was quick to respond to the taunt. Logan had barely finished speaking when he was next blinded by a stunning blow to his head he never saw coming. Off his feet he went, too amazed to speak. He hit the mat with a breathless wheeze and lay still.

Aiden crouched next to him. "Sztill t'inkin' Aiden szome kinda fairy, eh? Heh, ze Bruisze Fairy, mebbe. Ze King of Szwing, me. How'sz dat mat tasztin'?"

"Yer not bad fer a telekinetic. Who taught ya to fight like that?" Wolverine gasped from the mat.

Aiden scowled and a look of dark anger crossed his face, something Logan had said had offended him. He withdrew quickly and grabbed his shirt and boots, heading for the door.

Logan rolled over onto his side, still wheezing. "Wait! What's yer problem?"

Aiden turned back to face him, his face red with defensive anger. "Aiden doesz not cheat! He fight like real man, no fakin'!"

Logan felt a surge of impatience at Aiden's sudden anger. Damn these sensitive Siskans! They were so unpredictable, you could never guess what might set them off. At least he wasn't crying like Kimble always did. "I ain't suggestin' that yer cheatin', Z, or that yer fakin'. We all fight with what we got, that's just the way it is. Yer power against my healin'. It's even, buddy. Don't be takin' no offense."

Aiden stood where he was, his shoulders slightly tensed, his hands still fisted. He was waiting.

Logan decided it might be time to change the scenery and admit defeat. Maybe he could get Aiden to talk and he might learn more about the guy that way instead. "How about that beer, huh? Looks like I'm buyin' "

Aiden nodded, calming down. "Sure."

Wolverine got up slowly, amazed at how much power he had been struck with. It had been a long time since he was that dazed. He knew Aiden had used his telekinetic power to assist his blows even if the Siskan didn't. If Aiden wanted to be an asshole about it, fine. He staggered over to his pile of clothes and dressed, wobbling like a drunk. "Let's go then."

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Wolverine joined Aiden and they walked down to the Common Room and the bar. They sat and Logan paid for the first round, a smug smile on his face. His left eye had swollen from Aiden's iron fist but was already well on the way down.

Aiden was quiet, no longer mad, but his usual silent self. He was brooding happily, drinking silently but later smiled when he heard the jukebox come on. This Club was musical in nature, it had a large jukebox and a Karaoke machine on a small stage set up for whomever might feel like showing off. Aiden loved music, always had, and once he'd discovered this place was often here just to listen to whatever the patrons might choose from the jukebox. He lamented the loss of his own vast collection of CDs that had surely been destroyed at Trishnar's palace. He'd spent some of Remy's generous donation to their cause on a boombox and some CDs, but it would take years to recover what he'd lost. This song was new to him and he liked it immediately. It was slow and sensual, bluesy as it started out. Aiden's eyes had only just closed in musical contentment when a familiar voice made him turn his head in wonder.

_Speak of the Devil_

_The Devil appears_

_Been waitin' for someone _

_Been waitin' for years _

_And it's all right now_

_Yeah, I'm all right now_

Aiden turned in his seat to look up at the small stage. It wasn't the jukebox that had come on, Kimble had arrived at the appointed hour and turned on the Karaoke machine. He was singing, his smooth yet growly voice instantly captivating the small group of patrons in the bar. He'd been emboldened enough to stand up on the stage and bring attention to himself, moving his body in simple yet sensual grace as he swayed in time with his voice. He was once again showing that simple duality that was Kimble — the vulnerable, moody child was gone, replaced by a powerfully sexual male presence, designed and engineered by Siskan specialists to be ever so pleasing to the eye with his grace and ability to move through space as if simply singing a tune was a dance and feast for the soul. Kimble was fully aware he was the center of attention now but there was only one person there he was trying seduce. The moment Aiden turned around, their eyes met and Kimble continued to sing.

_Watchin' you walkin'_

_It's like watchin' a flame_

_Tryin' to forget you_

_Don't mention your name_

_And it's all right now_

_Yeah, I'm all right now_

Logan grunted in amusement at the voice that didn't quite match the Chris Issak he was used to.He knew Kimble could sing, but had forgotten the Siskan's ability to captivate. He was sensual grace on the stage, as good as any performance artist, Logan could see Aiden was riveted. The beer was forgotten, the Dreamer's jaw practically hanging open. Kimble threw his head back, raising his voice with emotion as he broke into the next quatrain. It sent chills down Logan's spine, his not insensitive heart knowing the words were ringing true for these two.

_Lonely days without you_

_Nights that would not end_

'_Long as I don't think about you_

_I can still pretend_

_That it's all right_

_Speak of the Devil_

_the Devil appears_

_Been waiting for someone_

_Lonely for you_

_But it's all right_

_Yeah it's all right_

The song ended, but the game did not. Kimble stepped down from the small stage only to be met by a couple of girls, both of whom he'd spent time with before. They were the nurses he'd doubled up with before, a powerful temptation. Kimble lingered there with them, laughing happily, but his eyes kept straying to the bar where Aiden was sitting. He might be coming over, he might not. He was going to make Aiden wait and guess.

Logan wasn't fooled by any of it and he chuckled softly. "Guess that's my cue to leave."

"You jusz' got 'ere. Szit," Aiden barked, turning back in his seat and giving his back to Kimble with controlled impatience. He could wait a little longer, the outcome of this game was never in doubt. He could let Kimble play for the moment. He finished his drink and thumped his glass on the bar, wanting another. Aiden could really put them away when he had a mind, it was one of the first things Wolverine had learned about him as he had the Siskan watched. He didn't get drunk as quickly as Kimble did. That and the kid smoked like a fiend. Aiden hadn't wasted any time in stocking up on smokes. Charles had done his best to discourage the habit in the Complex, but wasn't completely successful. This was one of the few places where public smoking was allowed, another reason Aiden spent so much time here.

"All right," Logan said and watched as the bartender filled Aiden's glass again. He put another bill on the counter. "Why don'tcha tell me how ya learned ta fight so well?"

Aiden swirled the amber liquid in his glass, keeping his eyes down. "Ze Muzla, dey wan' Aiden to fight for money. He make 'isz Maszter rich."

Logan nodded, getting a confirmation of sorts of the story Remy had been told. Wanting to know more he asked, "How come ya still ain't there?"

Aiden sniffed. "Aiden losze one fight too many. Ze Maszter, he t'ink if he beat Aiden down, whip 'im like a dog, he fight a leetle better."

"What happened?"

"Aiden don' care much for ze whip. He kill ze Maszter. No more whippin'."

Logan was still. Aiden had said this casually with an icy coldness. It didn't have the ring of an empty boast. "What happened at Trishnar's? How didja get beat so bad."

Aiden slid a fresh pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and lit one, surprising Logan only in that it had taken him so long to finally indulge. Aiden didn't notice the smirk that crossed Wolverine's face, his eyes had strayed to Kimble who was still lingering at the other end of the bar. "Jael come. He 'ave t'irty men, mebbe more, jusz' like Aiden szay. You t'ink you can kilt dat many men szo faszt, szo easzy, hmm? Dat Aiden would like to szee, me."

"If my family depended on it, I would give it my best shot. Go down fighting."

Aiden just smiled enigmatically. "Who szaid Trishnar my family?"

"He was yer Master."

"Aiden live in 'isz 'ousze, do asz he told. Give good fun to Dognan szoldiersz, me. But no one ownsz Aiden but Aiden. Babette, she ze only one meanin' anyt'ing to me. I szee her szafe. Waszte of time now Aiden szee, her heart szo broke."

Kimble was done playing around with women he didn't really want. He came closer still, taking the seat next to Aiden, his eyes glowing as he took in his fellow Siskan's face. He reached for Aiden's cigarette and rudely took it from his lips, just to see the smile creep across the Dreamer's mouth. He helped himself to a nice deep drag before deciding to keep it for himself. "Whatcha all doin' here?" he asked, not looking at Wolverine at all.

"Drinkin'," Wolverine answered gruffly before Aiden could, irritated with the interruption. He wasn't entirely satisfied with Aiden's answer. Too many holes. For all they knew, Jael's next spy was sitting right here, making a move on Kimble.

"Then the next round's on me," Kimble said, tossing a bill on the counter and snapping his fingers at the bartender.

Wolverine grumbled softly, unhappy with Kimble's presence here the longer the Siskan was close. Kimble had only been given his double furloughs a couple of days ago and he was already out parading himself as if nothing had happened. Some of the regulars who hadn't been mesmerized by Kimble's little performance were looking at the pilot distrustfully as if he might freak out again at any moment.

"I suppose ya know they brought Creed down to the lockup," Wolverine tossed out, wanting to send Kimble a message. "He's outta the Lab now seein' as he's well enough ta make some mischief if he was of the mind. Heard 'ol Chuck's thinkin' 'bout makin' a permanent jail here fer those that don't behave. One with plenty of cells in it."

"Who'sz disz Creed?" Aiden asked in an attempt to change the subject, he'd seen a sudden swirl of black rip right through Kimble's shine. Logan had gotten the response he'd been looking for -- Kimble was instantly upset and angry over the implication he might be joining his former Master there.

"Kimble's former Master," Wolverine replied with an arrogant sneer. He wanted to see what Aiden would do with that. "Calls himself Kristalay now."

Aiden just smiled and said nothing more as was his way. He'd known the broken man as Kristalay, not Creed, but no further explanation was necessary. Folks here liked to talk and Aiden was a very good listener. After his quick encounter with Kristalay, he had paid more attention to the whisperings of the nurses in Med Bay. They spoke about Kristalay and his cruel ways, making sure to add crude and rude comments about the unconventional relationship he had once shared with the pilot. Kristalay was Kimble's cruel former Master and he supposedly corrupted the poor pilot, making him a perverted ruin. Kimble liked to be hit. Hit and then fucked like a savage, something that hadn't changed even though Kristalay had moved on.

Aiden knew something of this lifestyle though he had not lived that way himself. The Tranding Muzla had been rough Masters, just as he told Kimble before. Rough fighting came with rough sex and he'd seen those that had grown to love it in some sick, hurtful way. It was a thing no normal human could understand without experiencing it the way he had in that terrible environment. Aiden could see this on Logan's face, knew that Logan wouldn't be able to see things as he and Kimble did.

Kimble knew it, too. He just shook his head at Logan's refusal to understand and looked at Aiden knowingly. He said in bitter Siskan, **_"This one don't unnerstand the love b'tween men and he ain't never gonna. He wuz taken by force once and now he's scared of what he ain't been properly shown." _**

Aiden's smile faltered noticeably and he looked at Logan with a strange kind of compassion. Like all Siskans, the subject of rape was a serious one. These creatures of love found rape to be the most repulsive thing in the world, the empathic Lushna-esk even more so since that form of abuse was so common among their kind.

Logan shifted uncomfortably, seeing the pity in Aiden's eyes. He didn't like it and had an idea of what Kimble might have let slip in that rude Siskan interlude. He was growing angry that such a private thing could have been spoken about so openly by Kimble. "What did he just say?"

Aiden could see the anger and suspicion rising in Logan's shine. This man had too much pride to want to discuss such a thing. "Not'ing of conszequencze."

Logan grunted, seeing the lie but also Aiden's willingness to give him his privacy. Aiden had better manners than Kimble as far as Wolverine was concerned.

Aiden glanced back at Kimble, chuckling softly, and returned in kind,**_ "Aiden undersztandsz. 'E undersztand you asz well. Aiden can szee what you need. You want to get out of 'ere?" _**

Kimble looked back at him, interested. **_"What didja have in mind?" _**

Aiden whispered in Siskan again and Kimble shivered.

Wolverine grunted and stood up. "Well, I'll leave ya ladies to it. See ya around, Z."

Aiden watched him go with a smile. He returned his heat to Kimble. "Let'sz go."

---------------------------------

"Tranan's men are here."

Jael opened his eyes. He was better, but still in great pain and quite tired. Star had healed the worst of his wounds, but he was still damaged. He'd exhausted her with his first healing session after the fight, he'd been so close to death that even she would not be able to rejuvenate him completely with one session alone. No, he figured there would be a few more sessions to come. Not that he minded that any, the thought of it sent a thrill right through him.

Jael turned his head, taking in the worried face of his Second. "I am well, Razel."

Razel swallowed and kept his eyes down. There had been so much blood. Impossible that Jael was still alive. "Good, my Lord. You up for visitors?"

"Did they bring my Siskans?"

"Of course, my Lord."

"Bring me."

Razel nodded and stood. Marcus had come with him and they picked up the makeshift litter he'd been placed on. They carried him out to the main room of the Cloud Jumper, the place where he greeted most visitors. A group of Tranan's people were there. If they were surprised to see him still breathing, they gave no sign.

Jael lay back on his litter, looking over what Tranan's people had brought. They had come in a group, led by a Dognan soldier that Jael had guessed was Tranan's Second in Command. He brought with him five Siskans, including two Channelers and a Receiver. Those were a welcome surprise. No worthless ones these. There were also a couple of browns that Jael spared hardly a glance. But what did interest him were the remains of Tranan's Shalayesk armor and a medium sized wooden box.

The Dognan soldier lay the box down and confirmed his position by saying, "I am Greer, Tranan's Second. Here is your bounty."

Jael looked him over. Greer was Dognan but not Royalty. His fur was the lighter tan and he had no wings. He was dressed as his Master had done, in the ragtag mixture of styles of the well traveled. He still carried himself well and had no fear of Jael. Jael was compelled to offer, "You could join with me. Any of you that wish it can have a home here."

Greer shook his head. "If I stay I will lead. To go with you means I'd be taking your orders. No thanks. I've earned this position and I intend to keep it. Those of us that wish it may leave, I won't stop anyone. Better you take them then have a mutiny behind my back."

Jael nodded, watching as several of Tranan's men grabbed their bags and walked over to his side, making their choice. "All is well. There will be no war between us."

Greer gave the box a soft kick. "This is included as well. As you might have guessed, this is a Rogue. But I do warn you, this one is quite savage. That's why Tranan had him put into hypersleep and maintained. You can open him up, but I caution you to make certain of your choice. If you do not possess the means to return him to hypersleep, you're stuck with him."

Jael looked at the box. Hypersleep was a reduced condition for Siskan Courtesans, used to keep them sedated during long voyages. It was especially needed when you possessed a Siskan that charged from solar plasma. How can a Siskan charge in the blackness of space? They can't and so are reduced to the original gel block and the block stored in a box. The box before him now was the typical wooden crate of hypersleep only sealed with a large number of warning labels stating the dangerousness of its contents. A single battery lay on top, wired into the gel block that was maintained inside. Tranan had been keeping this Siskan alive through the battery. It was not recommended to keep a Siskan in hypersleep for long periods of time, it destroyed some of their memory and only added to their madness.

"How long has this one been kept like this?"

Greer smiled. "Ten years."

Jael frowned. That was well over the limit, hypersleep was intended for months, not years. No telling how badly the Rogue had been affected. He would have to open the box, high risk or not. Jael had some Siskan technology, but not the machine that would return this creature back to sleep if he was as bad as this man was saying.

"Has this one found its angel?"

Greer shook his head. "Doubt it. As I said, it's slept for ten years. I barely remember it, only that all it did was yell and scream. It doesn't even talk. How could it have found its angel?"

Jael couldn't hide the smile. A Rogue and one without an angel. That meant its value was doubled. He would have to open the box now.

Jael made his final pleasantries, wanting only to get started. Greer could see it and made peace. A few moments later he left, taking the remains of his crew with him.

Eager to view his new prize, Jael ordered a space cleared in one of the Cloud Jumper's large holding bays. He gathered some of his more powerful alphas as a precaution and ordered Marcus to open the box. Jael knew by the type of battery Tranan had used that this one fed on plasma and so had a bioproducer standing by as well. Jael couldn't contain his excitement. He'd brought Star down with him and had her placed behind him, gently touching him and feeding him tendrils of her power to ease his aches and pains.

Once his Master was settled, Marcus nudged the hypersleep crate with a foot. "You sure 'bout this, boss?"

"Go ahead. Just everyone stand back."

Marcus wedged the crowbar in the lid and propped open the cover. The gel inside was contained in a plastic bin, loosely sealed. Floating around in the gel were three stars, dimly lit but still glowing faintly. One was still wired to the battery that had been sitting on the wooden crate. Marcus lifted the plastic bin out, grunting softly at the weight of it. He ended up using some telekinesis lighten the load before setting the bin aside. "What now?"

Jael grunted to the man beside him. "Steve, give it a pop. Just a small one please."

Steve, the resident bioproducer of plasma, created a small ball of energy in the palm of his hand and tossed it into the bin.

The gel began to glow instantly, swirling about on its own. It swelled in size, feeding on the energy and expanding in volume enough to spill out over the edge of the bin. Marcus gave the bin another nudge, tipping it over and allowing the gel to spread out onto the floor. It was congealed, a thick viscous substance growing ever more solid. It was slowing down a bit, having used up that first burst of energy.

"Marcus, remove the battery wire and then Steve will charge the gel again," Jael ordered softly, his eyes glowing and greedy as he watched the gel expand.

The men obeyed and Jael watched as Steve tossed another small ball of plasma into the gel.

The gel absorbed it quickly, spreading its warm orange glow throughout its small puddle. The gel was moving now, forming into a larger central mass. It was enough that Jael could see the skin this Rogue was wearing was not a normal human skin. The back was too high and forming...wings? How intriguing. It was true he preferred the blended skins. It made things more interesting.

The gel continued to form, creating the shape of a naked human curled up and tucked on its hands and knees, its head down to the floor, a human ball. Covering its back were indeed a pair of wings, feathered and quite large.

Marcus couldn't help himself but come closer. This creature was too much like himself not to capture his attention. His only regret was that it appeared to be male, a female might have had more than just a pretty face to offer. The gel mass was finishing, the outer skin swirling first grey and then a dark sparkling black. Whoever this was, he was black from head to toe. The wings were darkly iridescent, shimmering red and blue as the creature twitched and moved when it began to gently breathe. A moment later, it raised its head, gasping softly and blinking in the bright light.

"He's magnificent," Jael said, breathless.

It was indeed beautiful. An adult human male of medium size, completely black except for a band of bright white skin across his eyes like a bandit in reverse. The skin there was sparkling white, but the irises of his eyes were a pale silver, giving him an eerie look. His hair was straight and rumpled, shoulder length and just as black as the rest of him. He was still tucked, but as he lifted his head, a leather collar could be seen strapped around his neck. There were also small glimpses of a bright white Mark that wrapped around his torso, a new color and a definite sign of his being a Rogue.

"Well hello, there," Jael greeted in English.

The Rogue just blinked at him, saying nothing. He was trembling, not really with the program just yet. He stretched out one hand, uncurling and shifting from his knees onto one foot, trying to rise, but wasn't quite steady enough for the motion.

"**_Good morrow?"_** Jael tried again, this time in Siskan.

The Rogue's eyes flashed in anger, clearly understanding that. He rose a bit higher, moving up onto both hands, all the while slowly emitting a deep low growl from within, a dark and dangerous sound. Some of the others around him started to back away, but Marcus was still fixed in place, an amused smile on his face. He felt safe, the Siskan's anger was not directed at him, it was looking at Jael and not acting very pleased at all.

Jael shifted, uncomfortable with the way this Siskan was glaring at him. He could see the collar more easily now and read a name there in Siskan characters -- Simone. **_"Easy, boy,"_** Jael commanded in Siskan, raising his voice to show his authority. **_"Simone."_**

If the Siskan understood his name, he didn't show it. He continued to advance, the snarl growing ever more wicked in its intensity. Jael rose up in response, every muscle complaining. The blanket that covered him slipped away, revealing some of the Shalayesk armor.

Simone saw it and paused, his eyes squinting, but the growl never slowing.

Jael sat up. **_"See? I am your Master now."_**

When the Siskan stayed put, Jael dared to relax. He was in pain and signaled for Star. She had been in the background, out of Simone's view. Simone still didn't notice her, his eyes were on that sparkling armor, mesmerized by it in some way. It was only when Star touched Jael and used her power to ease the big man's pain that Simone finally looked her way. He took in her Mark, saw her sparkling shimmering shine and without warning, launched himself at her, howling with rage.

No one was ready for the suddenness of the attack, the Siskan had seemed disturbed, sure, but not badly enough that his assault could be predicted. Certainly no one understood why it was that he had attacked his sister, it had seemed to be Jael that he had been mad at, not her. Marcus was watching Simone the most intensely and his reaction time was fastest. He caught the raging Siskan easily within a telekinetic shield, capturing him before he could do any harm. He wrapped his invisible barrier around the Siskan's strange body and forced him to the floor. Trapped inside, Simone screamed in inarticulate fury, uselessly scrabbling at the shield with his hands and flapping his huge ebony wings. He was hysterical, flailing about without a care to the damage he might cause himself.

Jael meanwhile had jumped back in fear, relaxing only when he saw the threat had been neutralized. He waited, looking to see what this Rogue was going to do. All the Rogues supposedly had great power, but if Simone possessed any special talent, he was slow about showing it. He thrashed and screamed, nothing more.

"Kinda of a bust, isn't he, boss?" Steve commented from his safe spot.

Jael just grunted at Star. "What's his problem?"

"I cain't tell, Master. Perhaps he's just real scared."

Star was being wary. She could read Simone's distress, his shine was startling bright, the brightest she'd ever seen in a Siskan, something that hinted at great power. At the moment it was fouled all black and grey from his great rage. There was no great happiness at being liberated from his box, no recognition that he'd changed hands at all. Simone was only intensely frightened, his emotions boiling over into anger and confusion. His only thoughts were on destroying all the people in this room, herself included. No, scratch that. Especially her. Something about her use of power, she remembered now. That was what upset him.

"Gives him some time to calm down," she advised. Her motivations were simple, she didn't want to see another of her clutchmates destroyed if she could help it.

Jael nodded. "He'll need a place. Someplace quiet. Razel, Marcus? Take him down to loading bay four, build him a cage."

"Right, boss," Marcus said, using his power to keep Simone contained. He and Razel got moving, taking this new Siskan away.


	3. Chapter 3

(Three)

Aiden had thought that making love with Kimble might not be an ordinary experience, especially since there had been days of anticipation and playful lust building up to this, like a volcano just waiting to erupt.

He had no idea, the poor bastard.

Aiden was done playing around, what he wanted to do with Kimble demanded privacy. He didn't think Babette would mind if he brought Kimble over to their place, but he hadn't wanted the crowd. He wanted no distractions, complete privacy. Kimble's abandoned apartment was the best location for that. Aiden wasted no time in dragging Kimble down the hallway and to the stairs for the one flight walk down to Kimble's level, a level denied him before now. Aiden quickly used the badge he'd swiped to give them access, pleased that it worked for this area, something he had no way of knowing for certain.

Kimble didn't question Aiden's new boundaries, he was on fire, his mind and soul aflame with desire as he joyfully realized that the moment he'd been waiting for had finally come. He wasn't the only one it seemed, he was hardly in the door of his apartment before Aiden grabbed for him. It wasn't that the Dreamer suffered from a lack of control, it was a response to the vibrations of urgent lust and desire Kimble had been giving off the whole way up here. Aiden was as sensitive an empath as they come and the pilot had made his needs known without ever speaking a word. Kimble was staggering, burning with arousal, with desire for him. Kimble wanted him and him alone, the thing Aiden had wanted most. There was no way he could possibly resist.

Aiden had followed him into the apartment and wasted no time in getting his hands on Kimble, spinning him around for a consuming, bruising kiss. They fell against the wall of the short entranceway, kissing and groping and laughing as they drunkenly played, eager for one another. The two Siskans were tangled in the cramped area, but Aiden was well adept at figuring out the best use of space. The door was slammed shut with a foot as his hands fumbled at Kimble's clothes in his haste.

Kimble was laughing, but was doing more. He kept playfully pushing those hands away, forcing the Dreamer to roughen his attack. At first Aiden thought it was part of the game, but then it slowly sunk in what Kimble was after. Kimble wanted to play a little rough and tumble, making this not quite the slow and leisurely thing Aiden had had in mind for their first coupling. It was disappointing, but not unduly so. They had been holding back since they had met and Kimble was almost in pain with the depth of his need. Aiden could see it had been a long time since Kimble had been properly used, probably longer than he'd gone himself. That was fine then, a quick rush to burn off the worst of the heat and then the real play could begin. Aiden was nothing if not adaptable to most situations.

He snatched at Kimble and dragged him in for another kiss. "What you want, eh? Tell me!"

Kimble laughed, squirming in Aiden's embrace, making sure he was sliding his hands in all the right places as he did. "I wants ya ta fuck me. Hard an' fast, just like ya said."

Aiden shivered hard, he couldn't help it. As Kimble had spoken, those bright white hands had found him, touched him right where he needed it so badly. "For you, anyt'ing, preciousz," Aiden replied, his voice rough with passion.

Aiden, of course, had no real idea of what he'd just agreed to.

He came forward, pushing Kimble against the wall, his hands still making an effort to remove Kimble's troublesome clothing. He was trying to slide Kimble's shirt up and off, but the pilot kept squirming and keeping his arms down, doing his best to make it as difficult as possible. _A game zen,_ Aiden thought wryly, getting a little worked up. _Fine, off it comesz._ He gave a great yank and the poor thing ripped and tore, not able to withstand the abuse of the Dreamer in need. He laughed, a grin of triumph wide on his face.

Kimble shuddered and arched his back at the sound, pushing into Aiden and grinding his pelvis into Aiden's own, an obvious reward.

Aiden never paused as he demolished the rest of Kimble's shirt and tossed the remains to the floor in rags, but something shifted in his mind. Something a little wary. _So 'e likesz 'isz clothesz ripped? Big deal, right?_ he was thinking. He knew Kimble liked it rough, the rumors had been pretty clear on that, but he also knew folks were prone to exaggeration. Nothing about Kimble so far had indicated this was going to go to any kind of extreme. He didn't mind a little aggression himself when he was playing with a man. Nothing to worry about --- as long as it didn't get out of hand.

Aiden moved on to Kimble's pants, sliding them part of the way down, taking time to spread his hands through the silky white fur of Kimble's hips. This he really liked, the downy softness of it. No Dognan man had fur this luxurious nor any client he'd ever served before, Aiden had to check a sudden desire to drop to his knees and rub his face through it, get lost in it. He had no time, not just now, Kimble was waiting.

Aiden managed to get Kimble's pants halfway down his thighs before he was stopped once more by the pilot's evasions. Aiden was a bit confused, but changed tack quickly, figuring Kimble had changed his mind and was in the mood for a little appetizer before the main course. It hadn't been asked for, but that meant nothing. _Very well_, he thought as he stooped down after all, ready to feast on what the pilot had to offer. Aiden opened his mouth only to feel one of Kimble's slender white hands come about his chin, blocking him.

This time Aiden did pause and looked up at the pilot with a questioning look. _What?_

_That's not what he wanted, you dumbass. He wanted you to tear off his pants,_ Father chided roughly from somewhere behind him, not a place Aiden wanted him to be. He preferred to work without a backseat driver. _You **do** know what you're doing, right?_

Aiden didn't reply to that, he was good at tuning Father out, especially when the criticism wasn't particularly helpful. So instead, he kept his eyes up, seeking Kimble's own. Kimble never spoke to Aiden's questioning look. He simply met his eyes and whined softly in frustration.

Aiden felt his temper threaten to rise, but choked it back. He was a professional, he should be able to figure Kimble out more easily than this. It was just that he hadn't expected things to be so violent. Okay, so maybe the rumors of Kimble's strange desires had some truth in them, but he had figured Kimble wouldn't want the savagery he'd had at the hands of others, that he would want a calmer, softer touch. Something with more respect and caring. _Whatever_, Aiden was thinking, he could oblige without going over the edge. He let some of his frustration out and dug his hands into the soft material of Kimble's sweats and destroyed them.

Kimble let slip a quick stream of Siskan profanity, his body quaking now. He'd relaxed and the blue was back in his shine, a shine already dark with the crimson red of his arousal. The sound of his clothing being destroyed had fired him up as much as if he'd been groped in the dark.

The remains of Kimble's pants quickly joined the rags of his shirt. Aiden was already moving back up, kissing the long lean blaze of Kimble's Mark as he rose. The swift flare of anger from the disrobing of Kimble was lost as he ran his tongue over that warm smooth skin, tasting Kimble's flavor in slow luxurious strokes. It was almost more than he could stand, the deliciousness of Kimble's lovely taste in his mouth. How long he had waited for this moment! Aiden was just over a nipple when the pilot's hands lost themselves in his hair and gave him a brisk yank, something brief yet painful. Aiden's response was an irritated, punishing nip to the sensitive bud of flesh.

Kimble hissed and arched again, shivering off a bright vibration of approval as he pulled on Aiden's hair all the harder, wanting more.

Aiden's temper sparked afresh. He had an intense dislike of physical pain, it brought on a whole cartload of memories he had no desire to revisit. It was a weakness, one Kimble obviously didn't share. "What'sz disz, eh?" Aiden grumbled. "Don' pull szo 'ard!"

"Bite me!" Kimble demanded harshly in return, upset that he should even have to articulate his needs. He was growing anxious and more than a little frustrated in a painfully aroused way. This was progressing just a little too slowly. He wanted Aiden to fuck him hard, not this slow and tender torment.

Aiden saw it there in Kimble's eyes, how could he not? He shook his head in impatient negation. "Why you want szuch pain? It'sz ugly, szumpting ze **Chuckfet** would do and not for ze likesz of usz!"

Kimble growled, showing his teeth as his own fury spiked. What was this? Aiden was Siskan, he should understand what was wanted automatically, not this stuttering, broken foreplay littered with stupid questions. He'd gone through this with Remy of course. Kimble had asked for more than the thief was willing to give, it had been possibly their one and only truly physically ugly argument. Kimble had gotten a bit frustrated with Gambit's refusals to hurt him and his temper got away from him. He'd tried to strike Remy in a deliberate attempt to anger the thief into giving him what he wanted, but the blow had been blocked. Tempers and passion had both run high that night, Gambit had said something painful and nasty and walked out, his hands up in furious surrender. Kimble had been forced to follow and offer the appropriate supplicating apologies to bring Gambit's anger down. Kimble had accepted the refusal as a human inability to understand, something he would just have to live with. This now was something else. He hadn't expected the same response from a Courtesan like himself. It was one more voice questioning his ways and making him feel like a freak.

Kimble tried to push Aiden aside, done with this, his shine fouled now with black anger. His attempt to leave was halted abruptly by powerful hands, the Dreamer's physical strength was quite a bit stronger than his own in a totally shocking way. Never had Aiden given him reason to question what powers he might possess, Aiden had always come off as normal in most Siskan respects. Kimble was not prepared for how easily he was slammed right back in place with real authority.

"Where you goin', preciousz?" Aiden questioned impatiently with his own growl. This was escalating into something not so pretty, something dangerous. They were both painfully aroused and frustrated with one another, not a safe combination. The air was crackling with vibrations of communication they were both having trouble understanding. Aiden was put out that he had worked so hard to make this happen, to give them this opportunity to connect, and it wasn't happening as he had planned. Just the same, he still wanted this enough to work at it, as awkward as it was.

"You asked me what I wanted, I told ya! Now yer actin' like ya ain't never heards a word of it!" Kimble answered petulantly, his eyes hard and rude.

Aiden didn't reply, but his mouth was tight in a thin white line. Fight or fuck, his mind was weighing his options. He decided that perhaps he was just overreacting, that maybe he wasn't seeing what he was. He shook his shoulders, cracking his neck as he forced himself to relax. He took a deep breath and started over. He came forward, offering kisses, ones Kimble readily accepted. They groped and kissed some more, the momentary anger left to simmer.

Aiden calmed some, happy that he had chosen the right tack. His hands roamed free over Kimble's body, feeling the hard muscles ripple and move there. He found the areas where Kimble's wings joined his back, smiling when he felt Kimble shiver as he was stroked there, an erogenous zone the Dreamer was sure to catalogue away for future reference. He was still exploring the fascination that was a male pilot when he felt Kimble shift and then another vibration of Kimble's frustration -- he was taking too long again, Kimble was impatient.

Aiden took a half step back, swallowing his anger. He was a conscientious Courtesan, used to the details and the finer arts. As far as he was concerned, he was going fast! Jeez, did Kimble want him to plow through him like this meant nothing? The whole point of this was to impress Kimble with his talent for pleasure, to show Kimble that Aiden was so much more than he seemed. Aiden wanted Kimble pleased, true, but he was fast reaching his limit. Aiden's voice was a little shaky as he complained, "What'sz ze rush, eh? We got time."

Kimble saw the anger, how Aiden was quickly losing control of it, and said, "I don' wants it slow. Cain't ya sees it? C'mon! Fuck me!"

Aiden didn't like his tone. He disliked being ordered around almost as much as being hurt so his natural tendency to disobey responded first. " 'Fuck me', eh? Fuck you own szelf, you leetle child! Disz isz over!" he snarled and jerked away.

The darkest blackest part of Kimble reacted quickly to the sound of Aiden's angry refusal. It was a sign of Aiden's weakness and the predator in Kimble knew it. It would take nothing to tip Aiden over the edge now, to force Aiden to give him what he'd demanded. He never questioned the wisdom of that thought, he simply acted. He snatched at Aiden's wrist with one hand as the Dreamer took another step back and he raised the other, giving Aiden a hard, quick slap across the face.

Where a similar display of aggression had caused Remy to leave, Kimble got quite the opposite reaction from Aiden. Kimble's deliberate provocation was an instant and immediate success.

Aiden went livid, apocalyptic emotions ripping right through him. Any semblance of control evaporated and he surged forward with hostile intent. His traitorous anger swamped him and his urgent need to fuck combined themselves to murder any scruples he had left at that moment. He tore out of Kimble's hold in a nanosecond, reversing their roles with sickening speed. His fingers bit into Kimble's shoulders as he grabbed the pilot and viciously spun him around with brutal force, slamming him face first against the wall hard enough to rattle a couple of paintings there.

Kimble was again shocked by the savage force of Aiden's will. He was mashed against the wall, his ankles kicked painfully apart by the rough steel toes of Aiden's work boots. Aiden was still dressed, but it didn't stop him for him long. He pressed Kimble down with one hand while he fumbled to undress, a hand that felt asthough it weighed a thousand pounds, forcing Kimble to take shallow wheezing breaths, all his compressed body would allow. It was frightening and sobering, a serious reality check. Kimble struggled in vain, but was pinned fast as he listened to Aiden's own ragged breaths while he fumbled at his waist to drop his shorts. It was quick, Aiden favored the loose Hawaiian shirts and baggy denim shorts mainly since they were so easy to remove. There was a rush of cool air as Aiden stepped out of his shorts, then the burning heat of Aiden's furious body up close as he charged, penetrating Kimble with one hard and deep stroke, one terrible and precise movement.

Kimble squealed in pain, but his body responded with a violent shudder of arousal. That one bright hot burst of agony had revived his flagging passion and it flared with sparkling brightness. Now, this was more like it. This was what he had asked for. He couldn't stop a sob of laughter that tore itself from him, his eyes leaking tears.

Aiden didn't hear it. He was furious, too small a word to describe his intense anger. The dreams he'd always come to rely on to guide him had lied. The visions he'd had of a slow and lovely lovemaking were a stupid joke, a lure for the fish, an empty promise. He hated Kimble for making him so angry, for hurting him like this. He hated himself for losing control and hated this, this ugly thing he was now trapped in. He felt betrayed and it came out violently as he punished Kimble for forcing this, his shine swirling ever more black as he got less and less pleasure from this in spite of coming close to climax. Thoughts of sex were becoming thoughts of murder as his anger bloomed with every angry thought that crossed the scarred and bitter horizon of his mind.

Kimble's joy was evaporating as well. His pleasure was slowly being destroyed by the darkness of Aiden's enraged and agonized feelings. The vibrations were seeping out and it was sinking in to Kimble that perhaps he had crossed a line somewhere, one that should have been left alone. Like a young girl who foolishly takes a serial killer home for a date, he'd had no idea that the soft spoken Dreamer was capable of such rage, of thoughts so bitter and cruel. If he had, he might have thought better of this thing he had precipitated, but now it was too late. That line had been crossed and he couldn't take it back. Kimble thrashed defensively in sudden fear, trying to break free from the less than pleasant vibrations drowning him. He had wanted this yes, but hadn't been prepared for the dangerous turn this was taking, he simply had had no idea what Aiden was capable of.

Kimble's feeble efforts to free himself weren't working, he couldn't push back the physical force that was Aiden, that was the Dreamer, his captor was simply much too strong, an unmovable object. He was pinned down, tacked in place as much by Aiden's thrusting as he was by the telekinetic ability of Aiden's mind. The Dreamer was strong, but it was an enhancement of his mutancy, of his alteration by fire. No, he couldn't fly, but he could emphasize his physical will on others, push and keep Kimble in place simply by thinking about it.

Kimble growled in frustration, his terror mounting as he fully realized the extent to which he was now trapped. He was being crushed and bruised, all control gone. He was being forced to surrender, to submit, something he had demanded so selfishly without truly thinking about the consequences. It hadn't occurred to him that this time things might not go as expected. All those times he'd allowed another to bully him, it was always with the knowledge deep inside that he could get out of it if he wanted to. He was telekinetic, he could move things just by thinking about it, break, smash, tear at will. Not so now. Whatever he tried was countered by a force of will much greater than his own, with a telekinetic power that rendered his own useless with pathetic ease.

Suddenly sober, Kimble realized then that he had no real idea of who his new lover was. He knew Aiden was a Siskan and that he'd been melted. He never followed that through to what other powers he might have acquired because of it. The Mark was blue, but what did that mean? Aiden's Kundatesh was strong and apparently so now was his physical strength. What else might there be? Just how dangerous was this going to be now that he'd provoked the Dreamer to such a wrath?

True to form, Kimble's body betrayed his inner desire. Despite being horribly frightened and forced to submit and endure, he was never as hard as he was now, never so blown away and shaking from needing this so badly. The Dreamer's hunger was voracious, Aiden was forcing him to take all he had to give, was stretching Kimble's body to the limit. Aiden might have been a small man, but the rest of him wasn't, his sex was every inch as large as Kimble's and he wielded that force like a weapon. They were noisy, every thrust of Aiden's body matched by the slam of Kimble's own against the wall. Aiden's violence frightened Kimble as much as he fed on it.

Not quite done with the punishment, Aiden had one last order to fill. He snarled into Kimble's ear, his voice made raw and savage from his rage. "Bite me, you szay? Eh, shame on me zat I should refusze a requeszt from szuch a one asz you!" He opened his mouth and sank his teeth deeply into the meat of Kimble's shoulder, tasting gel blood as it welled up into his mouth, nearly drowning him.

The instant Aiden's teeth bit into his shoulder, the hideously painful and ugly bite he so thoughtlessly asked for, Kimble's eyes went wild, his back arched and perfect. In a moment split with terror and unbridled lust, Kimble cried out with wild emotion and gave his ritual response to the entrapment he had asked for.

Aiden grunted loudly with shocked surprise as his mind was suddenly blasted with a large jolt Kimble's Kundatesh. This he had not anticipated and it shocked him almost senseless. Not that he'd been all that aware of too much around him. He'd been lost in the brutal, animal fucking and burning rage, he'd been so close to finishing and he never saw the wave coming.

Bliss, glorious bliss and red hot love smashed into Aiden's carnal and savage mind, driven into him by Kimble's desire to survive the assault. Every time Kimble had been forced, been raped, this was how he responded. It didn't matter that Kimble had started this, that he had asked for it, the end result was still the same. He was smashed and forced to defend himself by a counterattack of blinding love, always an instant intoxicating rush to the recipient.

The Dreamer couldn't handle what was released, it bullied its way past every mental defense he had in place and touched his most fragile, weakest place, the tiniest child within that hurt and bled the most. The one that was complaining the most at how horribly awry this all had gone. All that pain and hurt and anger was snuffed out, a burning fire doused instantly, not with water, but with the purest deepest love. Aiden's legs buckled from the shock and he was forced to scramble to maintain his hold on the pilot. It was a wasted effort. He was blown away, snarling with an earth shattering orgasm he'd never seen coming.

It was like a sledgehammer blow struck squarely between his eyes. Stars, brilliant stars, sparkled in front of Aiden's vision and he started to fall. He reached out to the nearest object, found a table, heard something fall and smash from somewhere far away. The earth was shaking, the ground slipping away from him. No, it was just Kimble convulsing in front of him, rattling the wall now, his body almost liquid in motion as he thrashed from an orgasm just as powerful.

No, it was too soon! Aiden's temporary reprieve was gone. He had no time to brace himself as the second wave of Kundatesh crashed down on him, a tsunami of pleasure and joy he probably wasn't going to handle gracefully. He had played and loved with any Lushna-esk Siskan who allowed it, going far out of his way to find them, preferring them to **Chuckfet **clients simply because the sharing of Kundatesh when they climaxed made him high. Normally, though, he was the one in control, the one being fed by the rush and always the one manipulating the whole proceeding. He was the master. He never got washed away and was always the one who blew away the other. What was happening now was the opposite of that and it had been a complete surprise.

Kimble was unaware of Aiden's shock, Aiden's climax had forced his own, wrenching it from him almost painfully with blinding force. He fed on Aiden's pleasure greedily, his reward, the same as every other client he'd serviced this way. He drove them to their limits and then they gave him this, these blinding waves of pleasure. He was needed, he was desired, he'd killed their terrible rage and brought them to this new height of ecstacy. Kristalay had called it the "glow" and it had bonded them, that bond filling the need in Kimble's mind. It had been enough to make the rest of that tumultuous relationship worth it to the pilot, just as Aiden's powerful response now forgave the savagery that had called for it.

Kimble couldn't get enough of it and he cried out with joy, laughing gaily as his inner spirit soared. The sensations smashed into his brain, bringing on a wave of black he'd come to recognize from every time he'd lain with Remy. Never had it been this sudden or strong, this out of control. Heat poured into him from Aiden's body, a release of power just as real as the cum that pumped into him, a co-mingling of gel, a blending of spirits, an experience almost religious in its scale. He saw bright sparkling lights, felt the hardness of the wall in front of him shift uncertainly and then there was nothing.

---------------------------------

Logan was in the men's room next to the Club when his small walkie talkie went off. He'd handed out the mobile phone sized communication devices to all of his men, wanting them to all be able to communicate quickly and easily. He grumbled and reached for the device, anticipating bad news.

"Hey, boss," Rogue called out, her voice crackled and staticky. "You still on level six?"

"Yeah, I'm takin' a leak. What you want?"

"A 1029 just came in from the gym. "

"Really?" Logan grumbled, only half interested. It wasn't the first stolen badge call that had come in from there. People were always losing their stuff in the gym. "Who was it?"

"Pete Tavers. His wallet and some other things were taken, too."

"I'll get down there in a minute."

"Right, boss."

Wolverine wasn't even two steps towards the door when his radio chirped again. This time it was Jerry, the sound of his voice light with unnatural cheer. "Hey boss, you still there?"

"Yeah," Logan grumbled silently with impatience as Jerry paused noticeably. "What is it, Jerry? I ain't got all day."

"Your two freaks just went out of bounds."

Logan had many freaks to choose from. "Gonna hafta be more specific there, son."

"Aiden and Kimble. Those two cockgobblers just snuck off to Kim's place. They were seen on the security camera at the elevator. Funny thing. I thought they didn't have access to that level. Can't imagine what they're up to -- or how they got there," Jerry finished, the implication hanging in the air like a lead weight. Obviously Jerry was aware of the stolen badge call that had just come in.

Logan bristled, not at what the Siskans may or may not have done, it was the language used to describe it. "Watch yer mouth. I won't have that kind of talk on the air."

"Sorry, boss," Jerry apologized, not the least bit contrite. "Just thought you'd want to know."

"I'll take care of it. Just keep watch on the door and let me know when they leave."

"Right, boss."

Logan clicked off and sighed in irritation. Yeah, he'd had an idea when he'd left the two Siskans at the bar that they were more than ready to take their relationship to the next level, but he hadn't followed that thought through to how they might go about doing it. Impatient now, he grabbed his cell phone, dialing Remy's number. Logan had no doubt now that Aiden had stolen Pete's badge, he had been in the gym just that morning, but Logan couldn't imagine that Aiden was bright enough to have conceived of this plan on his own. Where there was one thief, there could be another.

Gambit answered on the second ring, his voice tired and drawn. "Bonjour?"

Startled by the exhausted thief's answer, Logan asked, "What's up with you?"

"Molly's sick back 'ere at home. She t'rowin' up again."

Logan closed his eyes, swallowing down his concern for his niece as he put his priorities in order. Molly would be okay, Henry was looking after her. "Got a question for you."

"Shoot."

"How sure are you about Aiden?"

"What you mean?"

"Still thinkin' he's a good boy, someone on our side?"

There was a pause. "Why you askin?"

"Kimble and Aiden are right across the hall from you right now. You wouldn't happen to know how it was that Aiden suddenly had access to your floor?"

"Dis some kind of joke?"

Logan didn't believe the surprise for a minute. "Yeah and it's real hilarious, boy. He an' Kim are at Kim's place fucking their brains out right now."

Remy laughed in a startled bark, he couldn't help it. While he hadn't been involved, he couldn't help but admire the tenacity of two Siskans in need. Where there was a will, there was a way. "So what's de problem? You lonely? All you gotta do is ask. Dey Siskan, dey ain't gonna refuse you, old man."

"Very funny. You teachin' Aiden how to steal now in your spare time? He took a badge to get there, Remy. He swiped the damn thing almost right under my nose and I never even knew it."

There was a startled pause on the other end and for the first time, Logan felt a needling of doubt. If Gambit was guilty as charged, he would have come back with something sharp and witty, not this dangling silence.

There was a sigh of exasperation and then Remy's soft reply, "What you goan' t' do t' dem?"

"Well, I was considering going in there with a squad just to scare the piss out them before I haul their asses into jail. How does that grab you?"

" 'Ey, take it easy, boss," Gambit was quick to interject. "Let's just talk about dis reasonable, d'accorde? We bot' know just what dey up to in dere. Dey ain't 'urtin' nobody. Let dem play, den we bust dem after. Dere ain't no need goin' in dere causin' all kind of fuss. Just give dem some time."

"I just can't let this go, Remy. Not a stolen badge. Aiden's not who you think he is."

At that, Wolverine heard genuine laughter. "Oh, Aiden is exactly just who Gambit t'ink 'e 'is. 'E a boy wit a 'ard on fo' m' Kimble who couldn't wait to use it. Whatever you might be t'inkin', Wolvie, dis all about sex, nuthin' no more complicated dan dat. You just gotta chill and start t'inkin' like dey chil'ren, not spies, patron."

Logan grumbled, unable to discount Remy's argument. Maybe he was overreacting as far as Aiden's motives, but that didn't excuse the crime. "That's not the point. He can't be runnin' around doin' whatever he wants like this is Trishnar's palace. It's not."

"Je sais, I know. We'll deal with 'im, I promise. Just give de boys some time, si'l vous plait. Dey just got un peu of de frustration to burn off, dey ain't 'urtin' nobody."

"Once they start screwing around, they ain't gonna stop. A Siskan ain't no better than a horny teenager. Now I'm gonna find them bangin' each other in the hallways, scarin' off the children!"

"Only if you don' give dem no place to go," Remy argued playfully, still laughing. "Look it 'ere. Dey ain't dat bad. Dey jus' needed a place to be, a chance to get de worst of it worked off. Let dem finish deir business now and den dey gonna behave. You know Kim ain't done nuthin' so rude as to play out in de open."

"Very funny. I want you down in my office. Now."

Remy was silent, his laughter gone. He had anticipated Logan's anger, but not his lack of understanding. It was just another reminder of how far apart they were in their understanding of Kimble and what the guy needed. Gambit doubted it was a gap they could ever breach.

"Now, Remy. I ain't askin'."

"I'll be down in a minute, jus' let me get Molly straight, d'accorde?"

"You do that. On your way down, just think about how close Aiden is to your place. Angel could've been right there."

"I don't get yo' point," Remy's voice was clipped and curt, he was pissed off and insulted at what Logan might be suggesting. "Angel at school, de boys gonna be long done b'fore she get 'ome."

"It's still too close. I don't want Aiden anywhere near her."

" 'E's not gonna 'urt 'er. De only t'reat out dere is Jael, not Aiden. Don't know why you keep t'inkin' Aiden's up to no good. 'E ain't done nuthin'."

"He's a thief and a liar, that's good enough for me," Logan grumbled and clicked off.

Back in his apartment, Remy sighed with impatience and thumped his head back against the plexiglass sliding shower doors of the bathtub. He was sprawled out on the bathroom floor and leaning up against the bathtub, Molly draped against him with the fat cat Princess keeping them company on the bathmat. They had dragged most of the bedding from the bedroom out here and were camping out for the duration. She was curled up tight and warm, a wet cloth pressed to her forehead. She was quiet for now, but a few minutes ago was retching her guts out. It was something frightening to Remy, giving her condition. At least her shine was reassuring. It was bright and fine, something it wouldn't be if she was sick enough to be life threatening. He'd seen a few sick people since he'd been gifted and it was unsettling to see that greyness there. He never spoke of it, what he could see, it was just too creepy. At least he was educated now enough to know what was worth worrying about. Molly would be fine.

Gambit's lips were moving in a soft whispered prayer for Logan's patience when he felt Molly's hot, fevered fingers brush his palm. **_You okay?_**

"Oui, chere. Jus' gotta go play de game with Wolvie a bit."

**_What did you do that was so wrong? _**she asked, not fully understanding the conversation she'd just overheard. Her hearing was just as good as Logan's, she heard her uncle's voice clearly over the phone.

"Rien, just gotta pull de boys outta de fire. Same shit, different day."

Molly was silent a moment, not sure what to say. Inwardly, she was elated. Her motives were selfish but she was ecstatic from the first moment Remy had told her of Kimble's interest in Aiden. Anything that distracted Kimble sexually would keep Remy away. **_Do you have to go right now?_**

"In a minute, chere. I won' go 'til I know you okay."

She nodded and snuggled against him, prompting him to lightly brush her face. His fingers were cool and smooth against her skin, leaking tiny tendrils of Kundatesh to soothe her aching belly. She always felt better when he touched her. It was like his touch soothed away the worst of her hurts and at this moment she would take all the comfort she could get. She was growing tired of being so ill, the persistent nausea that had started only a couple of days after the conception was lingering. It had found a home and it looked like it had no intentions of leaving.

She tried to reassure herself that this was a small price to pay for finally being pregnant, but it was misery going through it. Henry was perplexed as to why she was so sick. He tried to help her with medications but nothing seemed to work as well as the simple pleasure of her husband's company. He was taking more time away from his classes and his Siskans to be with her, checking in a lot more often. He'd stopped by for only a minute, but had been here for well over an hour now, not caring in the least that he was blowing off some of his obligations. He told her she was his only priority and he'd proven it by staying here with her.

Remy's hands stroked her a few minutes longer, only slowing when he felt her finally nod off to sleep. With the utmost care, he carefully rose from the floor, adjusting her to lie on his abandoned soft pillows. She was exhausted and didn't wake. He gave her a gentle pat, a kiss of his fingers, and then slipped away, preparing to face an irate Wolverine for what would probably not be the last time.


	4. Chapter 4

(Four)

Aiden was falling. He was awake but paralyzed, his body no longer functioned, it was simply dead weight pulling him down. He saw the sparkling brightness of Kimble's white body climaxing in front of him, then everything tilted helter skelter and he was going down past the small table, past the door beside him. All sound was gone, just the rush of an airless breeze as he toppled, a motion he could no more stop than halt the lazy rotation of the planet he happened to reside on at this moment.

He hit the floor flat on his back with a thud he felt rather than heard, a miracle that he missed the large shards of glass all around. He'd toppled a vase of flowers there from the small end table Kimble had tucked into the corner. He couldn't move, but lay trapped in a Kundatesh induced stupor, his eyes open and glazed, not comprehending anything in front of them.

But he was feeling, oh yes. There was another dull thud from somewhere far away and then soft black strands fell over his eyes, partially obscuring his vision. Kimble had crashed as well, his unconscious body coming down to lay over him in a white furry pilot blanket. It should have hurt, another body colliding with his at full speed, but he felt no pain. No, instead came the heat and warmth of that body and more -- vibrations of Kimble's joy and happiness washed over him, a pleasure he couldn't possibly describe. There was another rustle of air in his ears as heard Kimble take a deep powerful breath of air and then he saw and heard no more.

Aiden had no idea how long he was out. He came back slowly, like a deepsea diver coming up from the depths back into the light. First there was darkness, then slowly light. Sounds trickled in, but they were muted, unimportant. He was too busy feeling. His body was shimmering with love, a powerful love like fire and magic. All of his hurts were healed, an invisible mother cradling the wounded, battered child within. He felt no pain, only pure bliss. He was euphoric, feeling like all the world was his, that he was the universe's brightest sun. Sparkling lights danced all around and through him, flushing him with heat and love. He was the most important thing ever, accepted completely for who and what he was, the only thing of value. He was god, a creature of pure light.

What he was, was completely stoned on a Kundatesh high like he'd never experienced, the poor boy. He was sailing higher than a kite, far more intoxicated than ever before, putting to shame every plasma rush he'd ever had.

_It'sz a funny t'ing,_ he managed to think, _all disz time I uszed to make fun of de Bimbo Twinsz for bein' disz sztupid. Heh, guessz ze joke wasz on me._

The Bimbo Twins, the name he'd given two of his sisters that lived with him at Trishnar's. Two Siskans who had fallen madly in love with each other. They used to fuck themselves stupid, blacking out so hard from the collision of Kundatesh, hit so hard they would lay in a glazed over drunken stupor for minutes, sometimes hours. What had Frashnay called it? The Wasayachay-sharoo, the Love Sleep. It was a quick name she had devised, one rather apt as it happened after sex, after the loving was so deep and pure. Aiden would watch her and her sister at play, never once invited to join in. He saw how they had blasted themselves stupid, never fully understanding what he was seeing obviously. It was the love that did it, he realized now, not the Kundatesh. It was a love so powerful, it disrupted everything else, left them breathless and reeling.

Bless the spirits. It felt really, really good.

Now, he'd known Kimble was powerful, perhaps even as strong with the Kundatesh as himself, the purple Mark pretty much demanded it. He knew the risks, knew how potentially dangerous this could be, that it could possibly damage their hardware. Not that he was at risk all that much, he was a Receiver, a Siskan who fed on forces of energy, and one with codes powerful enough to protect him from unexpected surges of that energy. In all his long years, he'd never been with a lover, Siskan or otherwise, that was powerful enough to get past his controls to black him out. Oh, he knew what it was, he'd certainly seen it enough times, he had even blacked out Babette himself in the few times they had played with one another. Fearful of damaging her, he had learned to control his power to the extent that he could blunt her blackouts, leaving her out for only just a few minutes instead of an hour or more, while never succumbing to the phenomenon himself. It was a mystery to him, this Love Sleep. It had never happened to him and he had to admit to a certain jealousy of that fact. Everyone else seemed to be having more fun than himself!

Well, it seemed he'd finally gotten a taste of that fun. When the pulse of Kimble's Kundatesh hit him, one most Siskans could never have withstood, his consciousness embraced it willingly as much as another part of him cried out in terror. The blackness was finally coming, a selfishly pleasing event for him, it was going to swallow him up. He knew that it was dangerous, but like any opium addict, he could care less at that moment. He was riding the dragon, he was riding Kimble, sailing on pure bliss and euphoria. It was an experience he would never forget.

Aiden didn't know how long he lay there, wet from the puddle of flower water, but he was the first to move. Hands twitched, fingers slowly found life. It was almost disappointing, he'd wanted the high of this afterglow to last forever, to be sheltered endlessly in that soft warm castle that was Kimble's immense and loving heart. Well, he supposed it had to end in order for him feel it again. And his greedy love starved heart did want to feel that again. A great many times.

He moaned softly and groped blindly, smiling when he found one of Kimble's arms tossed back and framing his head, the pilot's bright white fingers lightly touching his ear. He gathered some strength, pushed and then rolled onto his side, molding Kimble tightly against him and spooning his body around the pilot's. Soft fur and wings folded against him with inborn compliance, a sensation on his naked skin impossible to describe, only that it was the best feeling in the world to his spellbound senses. It was a pleasure beyond words to lay here in this moment, to hear Kimble's now gentled breathing, to feel that heat seeping into him. He closed his eyes and simply savored all the lovely sensations bombarding him --- sight, smell, warmth and skin.

After a few minutes, the last of his high dissipated and he became more aware, a little more back in the here and now. The glow was gone and with it sobriety returned, not exactly a welcome friend. It had a way of putting things in their proper light. The fix was gone, leaving the junkie bewildered and queasy, wondering if the trip was worth the price paid.

Aiden shifted and raised his head on one hand, all the better to get a closer look at Kimble's sleeping face. There was a smile there on Kimble's lips, a sparkling brilliance to his shine. Well, Kimble at least had gotten what he'd wanted.

Aiden felt the sadness creeping back in. He could say with complete honesty that in spite of the momentary blinding high Kimble had given him, this was one sexual episode he would rather have done without. The rollercoaster ride that was Kimble was not for the faint of heart apparently. It was a nightmare, the disaster that was Kimble. For the first time, real doubt crept in. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion had been ruined completely by violence and his own ugly temper.

_Keemble'sz my firszt Rogue, _he thought to himself. _Figuresz it would take a Rogue to pop me out and he'sz completely, totally, inszane._

He would never be able to forget that slap, that deliberate giving of pain. It had a purpose and wasn't meant to be personal, he knew. He wasn't completely stupid, just as he also knew the love blast that followed had been just as generic. It wasn't love because or about him, it was a simple mindless thing -- a love of sex, of good food, of a good time. It wasn't love for him, not like he'd felt all these years for Kimble, for the idea of him.

He closed his eyes on tears that threatened to come, feeling a familiar pain rise in chest like a stab to the heart. He was feeling the years of his long and turbulent life, never more so than now. He'd never been truly in love before, not like this. Not completely. He'd been close once, or thought he was, with Asher. But that was long ago and he didn't dwell on it. Asher had been there to help put him back together and he supposed it had been a bit of Florence Nightingale Syndrome, falling in love with his nurse. Asher had been aware of his crush and held him back, but with much loving and understanding. They had never coupled, yet it hadn't diminished the true quality of Aiden's love, that would have been impossible. Asher had been the first one to ever show him real compassion.

_I wanted Keemble to be like dat,_ he said to himself, one of those tears making it out anyway.

A gentle hand fell on his head, one felt from within, not one that was real. Right on cue, his ghosts had come to chat. It was Father who spoke first. _You had your fun, you got your wish. You wasted all this time on this pathetic conquest instead of working out how to beat the Game. Tell me, did you enjoy him? Was he all you thought he would be? _

"**_Go away, Father!" _**Aiden grumbled in the Muzla tongue, irritated with his very presence. Father always did this, coming out to criticize.

_Oh? What's this? _Father continued to chide with a mockery of hurt, moving so his face came into view. _Don't yell at me. You of all people should know how seldom real life goes to plan. I wasn't the one who fell in love with an image, with an idea of someone that just might not be true. I wasn't the one who expected him to give you his heart on a plate. Stupid, stupid, Dreamer,_ Father said, his voice kind but his words harsh. _Love has to be **earned.**_

Aiden shuddered at that and wiped at the wetness on his face, angry with himself, for his own weakness. He knew Father was right. What had he really expected? Kimble to just fall over at his feet in gleeful surrender? Kimble was broken, and it was true they hardly knew each other, not really. If he wanted this, it was going to take some real honest work, some give and take, but just once it would have been nice to have something uncomplicated and real. So stupid to think it could ever be. Adding insult to injury was a memory of Remy's admonition that Kimble was no easy ride, that he was not so easily handled. It hurt to admit that Gambit, a **Chuckfet**, had been right.

Talalanay appeared then, ghosting in front of him with Kimble in between. He always came when the Dreamer needed comfort, usually after Father said something hard but true. The small child knelt and brushed the hair from Kimble's face. _He's so beautiful, Dreamer. Look how his shine shimmers so bright. You made him happy, you did this._

_Keem did disz to himszelf, 'e juszt uszed me to get it,_ Aiden thought bitterly, a surge of anger and resentment returning. He was still angry, but more so at himself now for having such a high expectation.

_Yeah, _Talalanay replied, looking at Aiden with meaning. _You and no one else._

Aiden met his eyes at that. _Me. He wanted me._

_That's right. Now what are you going to do about it?_

Aiden didn't get a chance to reply. Kimble moved, slowly coming back to life. He yawned dreamily and sensing Aiden there, found some energy, enough to squirm and roll over. He buried his face to Aiden's chest and slid an arm over his hip in a gentle loving touch, bringing them closer together in a full body hug. His casual and unhurried motions confirmed Aiden's suspicions, this was not Kimble's first blackout by far. This was just the finish to some sort of sick established routine that Kimble had taken for granted was normal. It didn't stop the hurt.

Kimble rubbed his cheek against him, snuffling playfully, but paused when he sensed Aiden's less than happy mood. Soft blue eyes slowly turned up, "You okay?"

"Should I be?" Aiden couldn't help himself but say. He was filled with the urge to just get up and walk away. If he could do that, he could go back to being who he had been before --- a grumpy, sullen Siskan, but one with his heart still intact.

Kimble touched his face, sent a vibration of genuine remorse. "Don' be mad at me. I'm sorry fer what I done, fer hittin' you. It's jus' that I wanted ---"

Aiden stayed put, he did not rise, but he did grab at the hand that touched him and carefully squeezed it with authority, breaking off Kimble's speech, a lie he didn't want to hear. "You ever hit me like zat again an' I'm gone, me. You 'ear? **Gone!**"

Kimble trembled there, his whole body shaking now. He didn't want Aiden to leave, but if he did, he would survive it. In all of this, he had never fully given himself over. To do so would be to court madness. He couldn't afford to let Aiden in, it was like handing over a death sentence. It had happened to everyone who had ever loved him for real. The only one to walk away unscathed was Remy — well, even that wasn't true. Kimble wasn't stupid, he knew that Gambit had paid in blood and sanity. A lot had been sacrificed on his behalf, more than he deserved. He couldn't ask Aiden to pay that price.

"I'm sorry," Kimble repeated. "I thought that bein' Siskan, you'd unnerstand."

Aiden arched an eyebrow in irritation. "Undersztand what? Zat you need to feel szumpting to feel alive? Of coursze. But I won' love you zat way, Keem. I cannot."

Kimble was wary. Love? Funny that Aiden would use that word and not "play" or "fuck" as he did, something that would put a little distance there. "I toldja that this wuz fer fun. Take it as it comes. Playin'. A good time, that's all."

"For fun? A good time? What szo fun about disz pain? It'sz rape, it'sz **Chuckfet**! Give me one reaszon to play wit you again!" Aiden argued bitterly, his anger and resentment refueled by the thought of what he'd done.

Kimble freed his hand and touched Aiden again, this time lightly and with a vibration of genuine affection. "Jus' cause I takes it that way don't means I gives it that way. I ain't never done that with a client, I knows they don' ever wants it like that."

Well, that stung. Aiden swallowed hard. _I'm juszt a client, not'ing more._

_Just because you love someone doesn't mean they have to love you back,_ Father continued to advise. _Love him or let him go. We don't need him clouding your mind._

Aiden closed his eyes on more tears, still upset and doing his best to hide it. It wasn't possible, he could feel his face was flushed, he was silent for too long.

_He's only known you for a very short time, _came Talalanay's childish whisper of love. _You've loved him for years, dreamed about him and everything. He's only known you a few days, he doesn't even know who you really are. Let's be fair about this. Play with him and just let it happen, Dreamer. Earn it like Father said. Don't be sad._

Aiden sniffed and opened his eyes. He saw Kimble, saw the blue of his eyes, the absolute perfection of his face. He was looking into the face that had personified true and the most beautiful love in his dreams. His angel, the only thing he ever truly wanted. The only thing that had given him any hope. Kimble was waiting, waiting patiently for him to say something. Here it was, a path, a double sided arrow. Stay or go. Fuck or fight. Which is it going to be, Dreamer?

"Okay," Aiden replied finally. "Let'sz play."

Kimble sat up, all the better to reach Aiden's lips for a gentle kiss. He was very much aware of Aiden's disquiet and that he was the cause of it. He felt bad about it, but to a point he couldn't regret it. The rush had been powerful and fine, one similar enough to what he'd had with Remy to want to visit that again. It went without saying that he would have to go about it a bit differently, he wasn't prepared for how upset Aiden had been over this. He didn't want to hurt Aiden again. It did say something to him that Aiden was still here, that the Dreamer was strong enough to handle his strangeness and not walk away. So their first coupling hadn't gone to plan. It didn't mean that he couldn't make up for it.

Kimble explored Aiden's mouth with his own, reaching out with every weapon in his arsenal to read Aiden and understand his distress. His touch was gentle as he slipped off Aiden's silk shirt, still wet with flower water. The boots came off as well, Kimble laughing softly at the thought of his companion dressed in nothing else. Aiden didn't fight him. With every gentle motion and tender caress of his tongue and fingers, the Dreamer calmed and his shine began to change. He was relaxing, melting under his gentle ministrations, educating Kimble with every happy moan. Aiden wanted softness, wanted to treated like a lover of the highest value. Kimble's biggest mistake had been the slap, he would be sure never to cross that line again. Aiden had boundaries and Kimble learned fast.

Kimble was careful as he applied his skills, but was ever aware of the potential danger here. Aiden was upset because he had feelings beyond mere friendship and playful curiosity. He had wanted to make love, not fuck. That was dangerous because it was too easy to take it to the next step. Kimble cared deeply for Aiden, more than he really wanted to admit to. It was too easy to let that affection slip out in a dangerous tease to his client. He didn't want Aiden to fall in love with him. Maybe it was better to slow this down a bit and take a break, just a pause before round two.

"How much time we gots left?" Kimble asked.

Aiden's eyes were half closed and dreamy. He'd made his decision to ride this out and their gentle kissing had raised his spirits. He could have done that all day, just taste Kimble over and over like this. Kimble might be a bit skewed when it came to sex, but the boy sure could kiss. Along with the kisses had come unspoken messages, things Kimble probably didn't want him to know, but Aiden's power was too intuitive not to feel it. Kimble was sending out unintentional vibrations, **_/ I loves ya, Aiden. Guess I don't really knows it yet ,though. I'm sorry I hurt ya, you knows I didn' really means it. I won't do it again. 'S jus' that I'm broken, an' broken people do broken things. /_**

Aiden understood the whisperings, loved them as much as the soft and gentle kisses. He didn't want to stop, but he mumbled a reply just the same, keeping his lips close. "I dunno. Leetle more zan an hour before zey come lookin', I szupposze. Why?"

Kimble pleased him with another tender kiss before saying, "Are ya hungry? I gots some pasta an' shrimp I kin whips up fast. Remy likes it cuz I makes it spicy."

Aiden considered, they had time to eat a quick something and play again. It was probably a good way to take a breath and start this over again. "All right."

Kimble nodded and used his telekinetic power to raise them both, careful of the shattered glass around them from the broken vase.

Aiden gasped softly in surprise and grabbed Kimble that much harder, a reflex to the fear that they might fall again. He was startled by Kimble's use of power and unused to the sensation of being lifted by unseen hands, he'd never been flown before.

He relaxed only when he heard Kimble giggle softly at him and then they were back up against the wall again. His feet found the floor but his legs would not hold him. He staggered and they sprawled a bit, both more than just a little wobbly from their coupling. They twisted, Kimble snorting snuffly laughter as they tumbled against the wall, needing the support.

Aiden's hands scrambled for the security of Kimble's shoulders, found his wings and held on, once more pinning Kimble down in front of him. Back on familiar ground and under the influence of gravity again, Aiden was secure enough to notice they were back where they had started from. He snickered as he recited a quote from ticket man on the train he'd ridden on to Westchester, "All passzengersz wit round trip ticketsz pleasze 'old zem out to be sztamped. We szervin' drinksz an' and sznacks in ze lounge juszt down ze 'all. Disz way pleasze."

Kimble laughed freely at the joke, his heart back in a happy place -- it meant Aiden was no longer angry. Kimble took a deep breath and relaxed against the wall, happy with Aiden still against his backside, making him warm. The ugly episode was behind them and if he was careful, he could salvage this and they could go back to being simple friends at play.

Kimble shivered again and squirmed against the wall to face his lover. His upper arms were bruising, but not like when Kristalay or Grendel had done this to him. They certainly hadn't been so affectionate afterwards, something that soothed away the fear, that made it all the more exciting. Aiden was skilled -- in spite of his great rage, he had delivered the right amount of pain with minimum damage. The bite was the only serious mark and Kimble didn't feel it anymore, he was much too happy.

Aiden withdrew and let Kimble make his way to the kitchen. Kimble's legs were still a little shaky and Aiden snickered at him softly as the pilot wobbled and held his hands out against the walls for support. Kimble washed his hands in the sink, not bothering to dress, and began preparing the meal.

Aiden took his example and sat at the table, leaving his clothes behind. This pleased him, it confirmed that Kimble wanted him again as well. He watched as Kimble moved about, it was hard to tear his eyes away. The pilot was breathtakingly beautiful to him with that sparkling white skin and soft white fur. Kimble was lean and perfect the way a man was supposed to be, all sculpted muscle and rippling power. It was a lovely combination, a human and a pilot, the wings and fur had been blended perfectly as though they were meant to be there. The long thick ponytail was a definite plus, Aiden liked anything he could bury his hands in. There was a simple grace and music in all of the pilot's movements, his body seeming to dance as he cut, sliced and diced, and sauteed with skill. Even better was the half smile that was fixed there on his lips, Kimble was enjoying the visual look over, his shine was green with pride and a sense of self worth, something Aiden wanted to see a lot more of.

As his thoughts moved on, Aiden's smile dimmed some, becoming more thoughtful and less happy. He was looking back on what had transpired, seeing it through different eyes. He thought about his attack, how he had jumped Kimble like that. He knew it was what the pilot had wanted, but Kimble's response to it was disturbing. Kimble's escape plan, the return volley of love and bliss, was still a bit of a surprise though Aiden knew it made perfect sense. What better way to defend oneself, it had been brilliant and clever, a sign of a resourceful mind. The Dreamer had known Kimble had been mistreated, had seen the signs of it in almost everything Kimble did, but Aiden hadn't counted on the response he'd gotten to it, it smacked of ritual and was completely passive.

Kimble's response to rape hadn't been close to his own.

Aiden kept his secrets, had a belly full of them. He knew from pain, of course he did. He'd been melted, beaten, humiliated, and of course raped. It made him the freak he was today, he thought with some bitterness. His breaking had been gradual, a shattering that was spread over years of horrible abuse and mental torture. It would never leave him and had scarred him permanently. He had to deal daily with a hair trigger bad temper, his own sudden and brutal violence, and a never ending battle with a fragile self esteem. Remy's assessment of him had been exact. His confidence was a front, a mask that hid the small child within.

Aiden smiled a wry pained smile, pushing a stray lock of hair from his eyes. Was it really any wonder he and Kimble had hit it off so well until he'd started to picture in his mind having something bigger than just a simple friendship? Aiden knew he was an introvert, a Siskan that didn't blend well into society. Even at Trishnar's, he'd never really been part of the harem the way the girls had been. He wasn't like other Siskans, he had trouble with relationships. He knew the cause went well beyond his breaking. It probably had more to do with the fact that he'd killed more men then he'd taken as lovers. Being an ex-gladiator will do that. That former life still haunted him, it was precisely why he hated violence and pain, and would not tolerate that kind of action against his person any more...not without retribution. Like he'd given back to Kimble. His temper, it was his own worst enemy. He shivered with a sudden blast of regret and shame, hating his weakness.

Kimble had stopped moving, was looking on him now with an expression of confusion and worry. He'd sensed Aiden's shift in mood. "You okay?"

"Of coursze, my szweet," Aiden replied smoothly, brushing all of his jumbled thoughts aside like the unwanted distraction they had been. He toyed with a photograph of Kimble's daughter that was on the table and asked, "How long you 'ave your Anjel?"

Kimble shrugged. "Since she wuz jus' a few days old. I pulled her out of burnin' buildin'. Couldn't git her Momma out. Kinda sucked. It wuz hard fer me ta learn it all in the beginnin' but I caught on after a while. What about you? Ain'tcha gots an angel?"

"Non. Didn' get out of ze 'ousze much, me. Trishnar... A man broke into ze housze once an' Aiden kilt 'im wit ze szpikesz. It szcare Trishnar. Disz de firsz' time Aiden been out in twenty, mebbe twenty-five year, I guessz."

"Wow. That sucks," Kimble said with real surprise. "I likes it outside. I ain't too cool with the desert an' all, though. It reminds me of Cerise and I hated it there."

"Aiden 'asz never been dere, but 'e 'ear of it. Didn' szound like much."

"It wuzn't."

Kimble cooked quickly, keeping the portions small. He was used to it, Siskans like himself couldn't eat much and he was used to cooking for Angel. Aiden returned to his brooding silence, watching Kimble cook. He felt very comfortable here, more so than in the tiny room he shared with Babette. She was so cold and distant, her heart broken for all time. He cared for her, but she depressed him now. It was good to be out and in the pleasant company of this new conquest. He shivered at the thought of Kimble, he had enjoyed this very much and was looking forward to having a taste of him again.

Kimble smiled at him shyly and set a plate of wonderful smelling food in front of his guest. He loved to cook and do things for people. He placed two more bottles of beer out on the table and sat. He was taking a risk with the beer. Alcohol made him drunk quickly, but it tasted best with this meal. Besides, he was feeling a little reckless with Aiden around. It seemed so odd to have a man here besides Remy. It was the first time since he and Angel had moved here.

Aiden touched the photograph of Kimble's daughter again, saying with some caution, "Aiden would like to meet your Angel, me."

Kimble cocked his head in surprise. "Why?"

Aiden shrugged, trying to make it seem casual. "She isz a part of you. A part of your life."

Kimble was wary, not because he thought Angel might come to harm, but because it meant moving Aiden deeper into his life. Was that wise? "You likes kids?"

"Babette 'ad one, an anjel like yoursz asz I told you. David wasz... David wasz special to me. I szupposze I missz him, de szound of a child. Our plaze... It isz szo quiet now."

Kimble nodded, sympathizing. It was too quiet in his own world, too. He missed Angel deeply, he just didn't get to see her enough. The thought of it made him feel a little sad and he couldn't help but shiver off a vibration of pain. It didn't last. He smiled when he felt Aiden's hand slip over his own. "I did not szay dat to make you feel pain. Disz isz our time now. We eat, zen we play. Szave ze pain for later, neh?"

Kimble smiled and nodded. " 'Kay."

Aiden scooped up a forkfull of pasta and shrimp, grinning happily. "Disz isz good, yesz. You will 'ave to teach disz to me."

"I kin do that easy," Kimble replied, his pain forgotten as he glowed from the compliment.

"Good. Let'sz eat."


	5. Chapter 5

(Five)

Gambit walked into Logan's office, softly rapping his knuckles against the open door.

He need not have bothered, Wolverine knew he was there. Logan sat at his desk, his head low as he scribbled on some papers, not watching the door. He'd heard the familiar stride coming, the limp from his recent injury still present, and smelled the boy the moment his body carried its scent towards the door. He took something from it, though. He could also smell Molly's own warm scent all over him, Remy's excuse hadn't been a lie. She was sick all right, he could smell it on her husband. "How's Molly?" he asked, still not looking up.

"She sleepin'," Remy replied, coming no further than the doorway. He wasn't giving Logan privacy for his work, he simply didn't want to be here and do this.

Logan sniffed at him again, not hiding it. "Henry seein' her?"

"Oui, not dat it do much good. 'Enry say it just 'er body adjustin'," Remy was uncharacteristically bold about his abilities by adding, " 'Er shine is good, patron. She uncomfortable, but she ain't dat sick."

Logan glanced up at him. Long ago they had discussed the shines, the glimmers that Remy and his Siskan pilot could see. Wolverine was an old man, he'd heard of such things and more in his time. Gambit was mentioning it now to ease his mind, they were still friends, still family in spite of their recent disagreements. They hadn't talked much since he'd slammed the thief in Henry's office, but Remy had been civil, choosing to behave as though it hadn't happened. Lord, how the boy had matured. About damn time.

Wolverine sat back in his seat, putting his feet up on the desk. "I'm guessin' that askin' you to confess to yer role in what Aiden just did would be a waste of time. Yer just gonna lie and tell me you didn't put him up to it or even suggest it. But yer still responsible fer him."

Gambit was silent, but his face had flushed with righteous indignation. Wolverine's arrogance was as irritating as the presumption of his guilt. He'd had nothing to do with Aiden's little escapade, brilliant and resourceful as it was, but clearly Logan had already judged him guilty. Remy resented it.

Logan didn't notice or care. He continued to rant, "What I still can't get about you, even after all this time, is how you just can't get it into your head just how dangerous these Siskans are. None of them are predictable or stable. Especially your boy. Kim's a killer whether yer willing to admit it or not. He can't be let loose out there, not like this. You refuse to take this seriously!"

"Nobody know 'im like me," came the soft reply, Remy's eyes were hard and not budging an inch. He was almost shaking with rage, the only thing keeping it in check was the knowledge that a fight wouldn't gain him any ground. "De only one not knowin' Kim's heart is you. Not me. I know de boy as well as I know m'self."

"He's not getting Angel back."

Gambit was rigid, his smooth exterior not showing the tenseness coiled in his back like a spring. "What you mean?"

"Kimble's on probation. He wasn't even given that a week and he's already snuck off. You'll just blame Aiden no doubt, but it's not like Kim put up a fight. He's not stable, he can't control his impulses. None of these Siskans can. They want something, they just react. They just take it like they own the place. This time it's sex, last time it was Mary's head on a platter. Kimble's never getting custody of Angel again. He may be in her life, but he'll never be a full time dad again."

"We'll just see about dat," Remy replied, but inside he knew the truth well enough. This was going from bad to worse. Still, there was no way he would ever admit such a thing to Kimble's face. It would break his heart. "In de meantime, what's yo' plan?"

Logan was quiet a minute. "If the badge shows up in the next hour or so, I'll just give Aiden a warning, chew his ass out real good. Let him know he's been busted. But if I catch him at this again, I'll lock his ass up for sure. Both of them."

"Fair enough." Remy turned and started to walk out, but was paused by a grunt from the other man. Apparently they weren't done. "Oui?"

"You hear back from Etienne?"

Remy was confused by the question he hadn't expected and the bluffer inside him couldn't hide his reaction quickly enough for Logan to miss. His eyes had dropped and his body betrayed frustration. "Non. Gambit called 'im but de T'ieves lost Skye. 'E's gone."

Wolverine nodded, internally flinching at Remy's use of the third person. Gambit, the one who always screwed up, felt responsible. He was taking the blame. "I asked Chuck ta send a small team to Boston. They left two days ago."

Remy looked back at him. "Oui?"

Logan picked up the top sheet of paper from a small stack on his blotter and waved it at the thief. "This just came in, not five minutes ago. They had a couple of psychics. You know, kids that can do more than track footsteps. Skye was up at Westchester."

Remy turned around, all interest now. "And?"

"They tracked him from Boston to Xavier's. He was there just long enough for a hot meal and then left. He must have known you were gone. The kids tracked him to the train station in Salem Center and then lost him. He hopped a train, but they can't figure out where just yet."

" 'E was at Westchester when?"

"Can't say, only that it was very recent. He touched the fence by the front gate, that's how the psychics found him. He came in with a group, ate and left. Could only have been a few days ago."

Remy shook his head. " 'E been gone from Boston longer dan dat. What was 'e doin' in de meantime?"

"Beats the hell outta me. The team is still working on it. They don't think he's traveling alone."

Remy nodded. His facts on Skye were pretty much nonexistent. There was one Siskan he'd horribly let down. Skye was apparently very resourceful, taking matters in his own hands and taking flight, not waiting around for Jael to discover his presence. Remy couldn't help but wonder about him. Skye was a Kintay, there had never been any doubt about that. He was as powerful as any of the superior 'grams Remy had met. As strong as Kimble. As strong as a...Rogue? Remy's eyes widened suddenly at the thought. No!

Logan cocked his head at him. "What?"

Gambit gave his head a frustrated shake. "Jus' t'inkin'. Don't got no proof."

"Say it anyways."

Remy looked at him. "Si bein. Try dis. Skye come from de Games Master, right? 'E 'ave no Mark so Gambit t'ink 'e outside de Game. Trishnar say... Trishnar say once dat de Rogues not always openly Marked. I was jus' t'inkin dat when Kimble was wit de Clan, 'e 'ave no Mark. Jus' coincidence Fallen put de Green dere. Was an accident. **Fate**, comprenez?"

Wolverine nodded, following Remy's train of thought.

"Well, Skye 'ave nuthin' on 'im when we met. Two skins I seen, no Mark. Mebbe Gambit got played. Skye wanted out an' 'e use Gambit's sympathy to get free. Gambit gets 'im out, finds 'im a good home. A place 'e 'appy wit 'til Jael stir t'ings up. Now Skye's gotta run, 'e want out of de Game just like Aiden did. It's de only explanation 'e run. If 'e wasn't in de Game, it don't matter 'e stay, get it?"

"Yeah, I get it. But you think he's a Rogue?"

"Don't really know, but all de other 'grams Gambit see got Marks, even de one Jael use on me back when m' leg got busted."

Wolverine continued to nod, mulling it over. "Where would he run to?"

"Don't know. If 'e come to Westchester, 'e want 'elp, mebbe. Gambit wasn't dere so 'e leave. P'etetre de boy smart enough to find 'is way 'ere."

Logan shook his head. "He could have hopped on the Dragon with the other refugees if he wanted that."

Remy's mind was working. "Not if 'e want to get 'ere wit'out Jael knowin'. Creed got 'ere, so did Mary. It not real safe nowhere, Wolvie."

"But once he got here he would be protected."

Gambit just snorted rough laughter at him. "Oui? You really t'ink so? I still got no clue why Jael ain't come in 'ere yet. He's got sumptin' goin' on, you can count on it. Sumptin' we ain't gonna be real glad to see, mon ami."

Wolverine was silent. Remy had articulated his worst fears, his own silent thoughts. He was in charge of these levels, but he was also on a board that was overseeing the safety of this whole complex. Major efforts were being made to keep them safe. Patrols were covering the Industrial park and the surrounding areas. Weapons were being cached, food and other supplies stored. They had their own separate water supply and the Solarium was only a couple of days away from being on line. More reinforcements were coming in daily in the form of refugees to be trained — assuming they could be trusted. Wolverine was frightened. The bigger the place the harder it was to protect. He was doing his best, but he feared they didn't have much time.

--------------------------------------

Aiden and Kimble ate in a comfortable silence, Aiden smiling from the good tastes in his mouth. He really liked this dish as he did all spicy food. Siskans liked intense things and spicy food was a real treat. When they were finished, Kimble cleared the table and watched as Aiden stretched and wandered about the livingroom, checking out his things. The place was small, but Kimble had packed it with lots of small pretty decorations, mostly objects of colored glass. Aiden brushed them with careful fingers, admiring them as much as Kimble had.

Aiden cocked his head and smiled with wry amusement when he finally took the time to really look at the paintings Kimble had up on his walls. They were ones he had made, every single one. No, these were not war scenes from some future battle, these were the fine Siskan castles, flags streaming colorfully on imaginary breezes, well cultivated fields stretching off out into the distance. These paintings had been made by him some time ago and the fact that they were hung and not hidden away filled him with a swelling sense of pride. They were loved and so in a way, he was loved as well.

Aiden finished his brief tour, stopping in the short entrance way. He saw the vase that had shattered and started to clean it up, chuckling softly.

"Leave it," Kimble said, watching him.

"Dere isz glassz."

"Just pile it up out of the way, I'll gits it later. We ain't done yet, you an' me."

Aiden paused and looked up at him, wanting so much for this to go right, for what had happened before to become a dream and fade away. Kimble winked at him, banishing all serious thoughts to their dark corners and moved closer. He had opened a bottle of wine and took it with two glasses over to the coffee table in front of the sofa. He didn't sit just yet, he set the bottle down and let it breathe, an eyebrow raised in invitation.

Aiden smiled at his thoughtfulness, thinking that wine was a fine idea. It hadn't taken him long to see how easily Kimble got intoxicated. This was good, the pilot didn't get sleepy, just mellowed out nice and easy. Aiden followed Kimble to the sofa and took an offered glass. He watched as Kimble poured for them both, a nice red wine, his favorite kind.

"To the joy of playin'," Kimble said in a toast and they clinked glasses.

"Ze joy of playin'," Aiden repeated, tossing his drink back in a challenge. He wanted Kimble drunk, drunk and silly.

Kimble didn't fight it. He snickered and drained his own glass in one big greedy gulp, always a fast drinker. He was already a little loopy from the beer he'd drunk with the food and the wine went right to his head. He tipped his head back and laughed.

Aiden was pleased to hear it. He took the bottle and filled their glasses again. He raised his glass, sloshing wine a bit as he said with mock aplomb, "To ze bright white of your cock and ze taszte of your cum in my mout'!"

Kimble burst into silly giggles, startled by the crude and impromptu toast. "Yer funny."

"You 'ave no idea," Aiden snorted and shifted into his female skin, just sudden enough to take Kimble by surprise.

Aiden had thought about this a little bit, about what might help ease the strain of their misfired communications. It was time for the teaching to begin, for the reeducation of this pilot. He wanted Kimble to know that there was so much more to making love than a violent tumble, that they didn't need to fight for the magic to happen. His worst fear was that, in spite of his assurances to the contrary, that Kimble gave like he just got. There was no way he was going to let Kimble fuck him like that. Hoping for the best and thinking perhaps a change of scenery might aid in the process, he had shivered and shifted his skin, becoming the lovely dark haired woman that now held Kimble's rapt attention.

Kimble was frozen, momentarily mesmerized. It had been a long time since the pilot had seen anyone shift like that. "Wish I could still do that," he complained softly. "I'm fergittin' what it wuz like. I just 'member that I really liked it."

Aiden laughed, dribbling more wine as she leaned forward to say, "It'sz all right. Aiden likesz you jusz' asz you are, me. You are ze mosz' beautiful t'ing she szee in a long time."

"I ain't pretty," Kimble said, frowning with a sudden surge of insecurity.

"Oh, yesz you are," Aiden insisted. Her voice was sweet and light, not much different than his slightly deeper male tone. She brushed her fingers over Kimble's skin, feeling him start to tremble as they drifted down the lovely purple tattoo of his torso, down lower still to slide into rich thick white fur. "Disz isz so fine. Szo white and pure. Dere isz no szofter t'ing."

Kimble was frozen in place, not moving except for the quaking in his belly. The touch was so soft, so gentle, bliss on his skin. This was more like when Remy touched him and it boosted the sense of this being personal, of an increased intimacy. He wasn't sure what frightened him more, Aiden's power to ensnare him with violence or this, the gentlest of touches riveting him in place. When she was done with the fur, moving from velvety softness to the hardened steel of what lay below, he couldn't stop the moan of desperate want from leaving his lips.

Aiden took it, pleased with Kimble's response, covering his mouth with hers and swallowing it down. She kissed him slow and deep, letting him know they were not going to rush this time.

Kimble responded immediately, already powerfully aroused. Aiden pulled the pilot down onto the sofa and laughed when Kimble lost himself quickly in play, forgetting everything else and doing exactly as she wanted. Aiden wanted to be pleased nice and easy and Kimble was everything she demanded, showing that while he might not know as much about how the Kundatesh might be used, he was certainly well trained in the use of his body.

Aiden was a bit surprised at Kimble's duality, but also intensely relieved. Kimble was gentle and complaint, everything a Courtesan should be. What a puzzle this creature was. He was equally reactive to both violence and tenderness. What had made him so? This was becoming more complicated and wonderful by the minute.

Kimble was unaffected by Aiden's thoughts, he was too busy making his own discoveries. He lay over his newfound friend and kissed her deeply, laying her down. He could taste the fine sweetness of her mouth, loving the flavor of it. He'd never tasted another Siskan besides himself and couldn't deny the rush it was giving him. The gel sweetness was enhanced by tendrils of Aiden's power, made all the more potent by the fact that Kimble was now quite drunk. Aiden was making him high again and the foreplay had only just begun. Kimble moved his way down, nibbling at her chin, her neck, the soft tip of an earlobe. His kisses now were feather light, he could sense that this was what Aiden desired most, his gentleness. He was slow and meandering as he explored her breasts, chuckling softly with pleasure when her back arched as he took in a soft, pink nipple and suckled there.

**/ _My child, my lover_... **Aiden vibrated with a sudden motherly passion. Her hands lost themselves in Kimble's long black hair and he whimpered softly from the powerful emotion. Her legs had come about his hips and he was straining now with renewed need, but he held himself in check. This was not like before, they would not be rushed.

Kimble moved his kisses ever lower as he moved down her body, his knees coming off the couch and finding the floor. He was between her creamy white thighs now and he spread her gently open, taking a deep breath of appreciation before moving in to playfully lap at her. Again, that gel sweet taste was in his mouth and he shuddered with fierce arousal, releasing a powerful vibration of lust his partner could feel.

"Keemble..." she breathed happily, her voice shimmering as brightly as her shine.

_I'm gonna be too fast! _Kimble worried to himself, frightened by how badly he desired to simply jump up and bury himself deep within the folds of her body. He was a little surprised at how she was affecting him, he'd always been able to show remarkable restraint around human clients. Something about the strange, Siskan taste in his mouth was driving him crazy. He was high and horny and having trouble concentrating. The draw of her power was overwhelming him.

**_/ Relax, lover..._ **Aiden vibrated, sensing his distress. She knew full well the difference between a **Chuckfet **client and being with a Kintay du Lushna-esk 'gram as powerful as herself. She knew her power was swamping him so she released a pop of Kundatesh, one intended to calm.**_ / Just breathe. /_**

Kimble snickered softly as the wave of gentle warm bliss washed over him, soothing his jangling nerves and easing his sense of urgency. His movement was unhurried as he rose up to take her, positioning himself so that he was looking directly into her pale green eyes. He couldn't help but smile when she gasped with pleasure as he slid into her. "Well, what do ya know about that?" he teased softly. "Miss me?"

"Szo szweet an' fine you are. Szo very good."

Her hands slid down his back and pushed, telling him just what she wanted and he obeyed her every wish. He made her laugh and cry and shake and shiver, not wanting to be outdone by her earlier performance. It was a competition where there were no losers. She laughed and laughed, pleased by his enthusiasm and willingness to please her. They were writhing now on the couch, one wrapped around the other in a passionate embrace, their bodies fitting perfectly against one another as though they were meant to be that way forever.

Helpless like this, Kimble couldn't stop the vibrations of deep affection that slipped away from his control. Yeah, he could protest this was just for fun all he wanted, but Aiden knew better. It was so very good and erased the ugliness that had gone on before. It was gone, forgotten, a simple mistake and miscommunication. The love bliss that floated over them now was like a little cloud of happiness, one Aiden was all too happy to get lost in.

This was more like it, the Dreamer couldn't help but think. Other than the skin change, this was exactly as he'd dreamed it would be. Kimble was on top of her, his body warm and excited, that great love he was trying so hard to deny escaping out where Aiden could sense it. How could the Dreamer not enjoy this moment? For years he'd dreamed of this, had done so ever since Remy had mailed a simple photograph to him, a thanks for the paintings he'd made. The moment his eyes fell on Kimble's beautiful face he'd felt that first ripple of destiny whisper. _This one will be yours._

That memory brought forth such a surge of happiness, Aiden couldn't help but laugh in the here and now, her hands buried in the rich ebony of Kimble's hair. She'd untied it and it was flowing freely now down Kimble's shoulders. So much she wanted to say but didn't dare. _I love you, Keemble. I alwaysz 'ave, an' I alwaysz will._

Kimble shivered from the bright heat of her happiness, not getting the full message, just the joy she was giving off. He had no idea of Aiden's infatuation and it was just as well, it would have frightened the poor pilot to death. Instead he drunk down her vibrations of pleasure, feeling them boost his own pleasure and speed him on his way to another glorious climax. Once more the orgasmic rush took them together, but with the play gentled, this time they did not black out.

Kimble was sailing now, intoxicated and deliriously happy. Aiden was as well and they giggled like the children they were, silly now, and fell from the couch to the floor in a chaotic tangle of limbs and wings.

One thing common to all Courtesans is stamina. They put it to good use and the game resumed on the floor, unimpeded now by furniture or clothing or anything else. How they laughed and laughed. Aiden loved to drink as much as she liked to play and she made good use of the wine, drinking greedily and coaxing Kimble into finishing off the bottle with her. Aiden let the alcohol take her, mindless of how drunk she finally got. They were giggling like kids, playing and fooling around, the stress from their first coupling completely forgotten. Aiden was relaxed and back to having the time she'd thought this was supposed to be.

Time passes quickly when one is enjoying themselves, and so it was for these two. It was almost time for Aiden to leave when Kimble finally succumbed to the alcohol and passion. He shivered his last orgasmic shudder and lay still, draped in Aiden's loving arms. He drifted off to sleep, a lazy smile teasing the corners of his mouth, a soft snuffle wheezing out as he began to gently snore.

Aiden had shifted back into his male skin, preferring this, but not regretting his choice to shift in the first place. Kimble's shine was shimmering perfect happiness and contentment, all the more pleasing to the man that held him. Aiden was liking this, just the simple act of holding Kimble close as he slept and drinking in those vibrations of happiness. If this was their last time together he could say now that it had been worth it. There was nothing like making love to Kimble, it had made all the trouble and pain of coming here worthwhile.

An internal chime went off, signaling that was time for Aiden to go. If he was clever enough, he could get the stolen badge back to the gym without too much trouble. He had never intended to keep it, he wasn't that stupid. He carefully raised the sleeping pilot and lay him on the sofa, careful to cover him with a small blanket there. He brushed his lips to Kimble's once, whispering, "I love you," -- words he knew Kimble wouldn't hear, and left.

----------------------------

Not long after, Remy knocked on Kimble's door, not really expecting an answer. He knew Kimble was there, the locator box told him so, but he'd also known that Aiden had been here too and had left only fifteen minutes ago, heading right for the gym as he suspected Aiden would. Remy didn't really want to disturb Kimble, but his furlough was up and it was time to go back to the Lab before this got any worse.

Gambit used his spare key to unlock Kimble's door and slipped inside. He was forced to pause in the doorway as he was momentarily bombarded with the residue of the vibrations of lust and love in this room. It was rare for him to feel leftovers as powerfully like this and it told him that what had been shared here must have been pretty intense.

**_/ Aiden and a Rogue. What else were you expecting?_** Shi'ow-ri teased him playfully.

Remy chuckled softly and moved deeper into the apartment, trying to locate his wayward pilot. The crunch of glass under his feet stopped him again, however, and he looked down, his brow crinkling in consternation when he saw not only the broken vase carelessly stacked and placed aside, but the rags of Kimble's clothes as well. _What's dis?_

While he figured these two had some pent up passion to work off, the signs of violence here bothered him. He hadn't thought Aiden would have been that rough. The idea of it upset him and he looked around quickly, trying to get a bearing on where Kimble might be. A bright sparkling shimmer revealed Kimble was passed out on the couch, oblivious to the notion he was no longer alone.

Remy came over and looked down on him, seeing him sprawled out there on his belly, his shine shimmering brightly with a profound happiness that any man would envy. Kimble's lover had been thoughtful enough to cover him with a small blanket he always kept there. It had almost slipped off of him in his sleep, his nudity displayed in a large expanse of unblemished bright white skin, always a good sign. There had been no abuse, another sign that all was well.

Not quite ready to interrupt so peaceful a sleep, Remy smiled as he took a moment to take a quick look around the apartment, breathing in the atmosphere of the place. There was a fog in here that only Kundatesh enhanced senses could ever notice and interpret, he was feeling more of that residue of love filled play. A shiver of arousal raised gooseflesh on his arms and he couldn't help but laugh at himself over it. It didn't keep him from remembering that the vase by the door was gone. Molly had bought that for Kimble a long time ago and it was always out front and full of flowers. The table it normally rested on stood empty.

_What happen' dere I wonder?_

_**/ An unfortunate accident, perhaps. Look harder. /**_

Remy obeyed his inner voice and then scowled. The broken vase, the shredded clothes, nagging questions. Remy's eyes widened in alarm. Would Aiden have done such a thing as treat Kimble like all of those other violent and unappreciative men had done before? Knowing the way Aiden had been looking at Kimble all these days, he doubted it. Did someone come after Aiden had left?

Uneasy now, Remy walked around the couch, wanting to get a better look at his Siskan. He had to be careful, he almost tripped on an empty bottle of wine below the couch on the floor. It was knocked over on its side next to two glasses there. The smell of wine was heavy here, leaking out of Kimble's skin. It wasn't like Kimble to drink a whole bottle in so short a period of time either. What was going on?

A good once over and Gambit was relieved to see that the pilot was fine in body. There were some light finger marks on his arms, but not the big ugly black and blues he'd feared. So many times he'd seen Kimble all ripped up and beaten after sex, as if Kimble had fought off wild beasts. Well, that might have described Grendel well enough, but that freak was nowhere near here. No, Kimble was fine, he'd had no visitors other than the one he had invited in. Whatever had passed between Aiden and Kimble, it hadn't been as ugly as the glass and rags had suggested.

Remy relaxed and went back to spying on his friend. Kimble had cooked shrimp for a quick meal and the place smelled wonderful, there were no other signs of violence or distress, certainly not in the Siskan resting so peacefully on the couch.

_Mebbe I just don' know Aiden as well as I t'ought. Mebbe 'e's got a t'ing for rippin' up clothes._

**_/ Or maybe he's really good at compromising. Just enough damage to get Kimble worked up, but not enough to hurt him for real,_** Shi'ow-ri suggested, a satisfactory answer.

"You gonner stand there all day jus' checkin' me out, Rems, or what?" Kimble slurred playfully from the couch, he was still quite drunk and feeling no pain. His voice was rough from his nap and his eyes were still stuck shut, too heavy to move. "Don' think I gots it in me ta do fer you jus' now...but I'd be real happy ta takes a raincheck."

"Heh, how you know it was me?"

"Cuz no one smells so good as you. I loves ya."

Gambit grunted a laugh. Kimble always said that whenever he thought they were alone. It was as if he believed Gambit would forget it if he didn't constantly remind him. "Gambit love you too, little brother."

Remy sat on the small but sturdy coffee table, getting a little more comfortable. It was knocked aside at a strange angle and he laughed as he shuffled it back into place. He could picture it in his mind so easily, the two Siskans wrapped in a happy tangle of limbs, entwined as they tumbled from the couch with the play continuing undaunted on the floor. He couldn't help but grin all the wider at the thought of it. He covered Kimble back up again and brushed a lock of hair back from his face.

Kimble's smile grew broader and he whispered without opening his eyes. "Wuz serious about the raincheck..."

"I know, but Gambit's just gonna 'ave to disappoint. Molly's got m' calender up full, cher," he joked, then got to the matter at hand. "Time fo' you to go back to the Lab, buddy. You two been busted."

"Cain't hardly move, much less walk," Kimble argued with another snuffly laugh. If he heard he was in trouble, he gave no sign.

Willing to let the question of Kimble's potential trouble go for a few more minutes, Remy said, "Gambit was wonderin' when you an' Aiden was gonna hook up. You gonna see him again?"

Kimble's smile widened. "Hope so."

"Dat's real good, Kim. De two of you been foolin' around for a while. Jus' de two of you can't be sneakin' around like dis. Ol' Wolvie knows all about dat badge Aiden stole."

"Is Aiden gonner gits in trouble?" Kimble asked, his shine swirling with the first signs of panic.

"Non, not dis time. Or at least mebbe not so bad. Gambit talk ol' Wolvie down, but dere ain't gonna be no second chance, you readin' me?"

"Yeah," Kimble replied, relaxing some. It was just like Remy to come along and straighten this out as always. So dependable. So caring.

Remy laughed softly, reading all that in Kimble's unconcealed, drunken shine. It was in the vibration of love and trust and appreciation, something Kimble would never be able to hide. "Yeah. Gambit real happy about de two of you. Gambit likes de way 'e make yo' eyes shine. T'ink mebbe dis sumptin' you gonna keep goin'?" Remy asked cautiously. He was happy with the way Kimble looked now, but at the same time, was wary about two such damaged people making a go of it. Although he liked the idea of Kimble hooking up, Aiden would not have been his first choice. Maybe they could work it all out, given enough of a chance. He would do his best to see that Kimble got that chance, anything for his friend to have a crack at a normal life.

"You knows I cain't," Kimble said with a frown, his eyes growing sad.

Remy shook his head in disappointment, not that Kimble was so quick to dismiss Aiden, but that he was falling back on old familiar weaknesses. Maybe it was best to let it drop and see what time would bring. "If you ain't gonna spend time wit Aiden, what you gonna do?"

"Maybe I could work with Seth on his new Dragon. Henry said he wuz askin' fer me ta helps him."

Gambit nodded. Seth had been asking, but so far the word hadn't come down yet yes or no. Seth wasn't the only one impatient for an answer. "I'd really like to see dat, cher. You need to work. Can't be spendin' all yo' time doin' nuthin' but starin' off into space an' dreamin'. Mebbe I can help push dat t'rough fo' you."

"I'd likes that."

"Bien, but now you gotta move yo' ass buddy, b'fore we bot' get in trouble, non?"

" 'Kay," Kimble said happily, moving at least the top half of himself up from the couch. When he rose, his long black hair fell away from his shoulders and this time Gambit saw some more of those small finger shaped bruises on his arms he'd missed, but more significantly, there was a good sized bite mark on his shoulder. This was no suck mark, he could see the indents from Aiden's teeth. Gambit had known of Kimble's weakness for pain for a long time, but it still made him uncomfortable to see signs of it. At least this was very mild compared to what he had seen in the past. The few male aberrants Kimble had managed to find over the years had struck him with their fists, Aiden clearly had not. Remy would have to content himself with the fact that this wasn't very bad at all and just suck it up. If the play got any rougher though, he would have some words with Aiden, oh, yes.


	6. Chapter 6

(Six)

Early the next day, Kimble made his way out onto the Complex airstrip, spreading his wings in anticipation. It was his morning furlough and a good day to charge, the Arizona sun was warm and bright. His personal body guard was following him of course, but Kimble was in too good a mood to pay him any mind. He was on an all time high since Aiden had left, he was walking on sunshine and all aglow. He'd chosen an area close to the Blackbirds to sun today, wanting some shade if he got too hot. At the moment though, all he wanted to do was stretch his wings. Almost daring the guard to stop him, he broke into a run and vaulted up into the sky, feeling exhilarated by the sun's heat and energy.

Jerry was on duty today, never a cheery fellow. He'd never quite recovered from watching Zander go all out and didn't trust Kimble any father than he could spit. He took two steps forward in irritation but halted when he saw Kimble wasn't going far. The pilot was cruising around one of the Blackbird jets, doing lazy barrel rolls around it's bulky shape and going no farther than hundred feet or so from the guard shack by the entrance, well within sight. Jerry grumbled at him, "Don't you go wandering off!"

"I'm stayin' right here!" Kimble called back, muttering, "You fuckin' asshole!" under his breath where Jerry wouldn't hear him.

"You do that. I catch you goin' off, I'm callin' it in!" Jerry said, in no mood to babysit or follow. He went into the air conditioned guard shack and took up a spot next to the window where the pilot could be easily seen. One of his buddies was inside and they began to talk, leaving Kimble on his own.

Kimble didn't notice or care. He had no intentions of escaping or causing any trouble, he was having just enough fun simply cruising around. After a few minutes Kimble burned off the worst of his restlessness and settled down under the plane, taking in some shade now. He was contented, satisfied in more ways he could count. He slid out a rumpled pack of smokes and lit one, simply enjoying the moment.

Kimble was feeling a bit cooped up and cramped now in the Lab. He was feeling less depressed these days and was now left on his own far too much. There were many things he could be doing instead. He wanted to work with Seth badly. He liked the idea of the project, but more than that, he missed his brother's company. Seth had not been allowed back into the Lab to see him and Kimble still fretted over the unhappy way they had last parted. At first he'd been afraid that Seth no longer loved him, corrupted by Fallen's apparent hatred for him, but he'd learned that Seth had gone nuts trying to get him approved for the project. Seth was trying to reach him.

Kimble had more than his brother on his mind. He was still in a fuzzy glow over yesterday's tryst with Aiden. It had started out a little uneasy, but he had recovered it well enough. He was still surprised at Aiden's unwillingness to freely accommodate his more darker desires, he didn't understand why if Siskan Courtesans were designed to please in all ways, Aiden had been so stubborn. It was a question he was not the first one to ponder. Remy had gotten a taste of that stubbornness back in New Orleans and now it was Kimble's turn to deal with it. It didn't stop the blast of sudden affection he felt at the thought of his lover.

_I wants him._ _I wants him ferever._

**_You cain't haves him,_** came the soft reply from within. Lin had been quick to remind him of his obligations. **_He's too dangerous_**.

_Remy says sometimes ya gots ta takes a risk._

The reply came as sudden series of bloody snapshots in his mind. Gail's head blown open by Sabretooth's bullet. Kristalay's body smashed and broken by Jael. Gambit's leg crunched and twisted by one of Jael's men. Kimble shuddered and whimpered, "I'm sorry! I won't lets it happen again!"

_**Then you gots ta remember, Kim. Never lets anaone falls in love with you.**_

"I won't!"

_You gonna let that little pipsqueak run yer life ferever, Kim?_ Zander piped in, wanting his say.

Kimble shook his head, not wanting any more of this. It was bad enough that he felt Lin's thoughts and feelings, now Zander was here, too. Kimble was adamant, he was not going to let them control him. _Git outta my head, both of yous!_

_I'll go, but you just remember this. Aiden makes ya strong in ways ya never been before. Angel needs that from you. Yeah, you gots obligations to yer lovers, but ya gots one to her as well. Take him as much as ya wants. Play hard, Kim, but let him keeps ya strong. He's the best thing ya ever had. Don't screw this up._

Kimble nodded, not arguing. Both of their arguments had merit, but he would not be ruled by them. He knew his primary problem was that he was afraid. They always came out to speak with him when he was scared, this was no exception. He refused to empower them any further. That single appearance by Zander had cost him so much, more than he could afford. Angel was no longer completely his and he was still trapped in the Lab. He was running out of things to lose.

Well, for the moment anyway, he had his new lover to distract him. He and Aiden hadn't gotten any more than chewed out for sneaking off yesterday, though Kimble was not so naive to think they would be able to pull it off again for a while and it made him a little sad. He wanted desperately to play with Aiden again, but didn't know how they would accomplish it. He had access to Aiden's place, but Aiden had complained to him that the apartment was very small. Kimble liked Babette very much and wanted to know her better, but wasn't comfortable with idea of playing with Aiden in her company. He causally wondered if perhaps she would be willing to join in, but then banished the thought instantly as wrong. Such a thing was considered taboo amongst the humans here and their prejudices had long since been burned into his mind. These evil thoughts could not be acted upon. No, he and Aiden would just have to find another way.

Kimble of course had no idea he wasn't the only one with such thoughts in mind. Aiden had come up to sun himself only a few minutes before. He'd come up through another entrance and was wandering around the planes, trying to settle his own thoughts. His guard was trailing behind him, bored silly. Both had caught sight of Kimble's arrival. Both had come closer.

Aiden kept his distance, but his guard nodded a warning at him not to wander off and then made his way into the guard shack, desiring better company. Aiden could have cared less. His eyes were only for Kimble and thoughts of anything else were gone.

Aiden had left Kimble's apartment yesterday, at first on top of the world with happiness, a happiness that didn't dim in wattage even as less than an hour after he'd made his escape Logan confronted him, snarling threats at him. Aiden wasn't impressed really. So many times he'd been in a situation like that where his more rambunctious activities had gotten him in trouble, but just as back at the palace, the man in charge was all threats and no action. Wolverine blustered about like the arrogant asshole he was, all snarls and teeth. It might have intimidated a lesser man, but Aiden knew the score and in the end, Logan had ultimately done nothing just as Aiden knew he would. No real punishment had been coming. Aiden, like any child around his suspicious parents, knew that all he had to do was lay low and simply wait for another chance.

Aiden returned home, on a temporary high from his successful coupling with Kimble, but then as the hours slowly passed and his own insecurities settled in, he became more confused. He had enjoyed their tryst more than he was prepared to admit. He had thought a nice quick tumble with Kimble would get his lust for the pilot out of his system, but the fact was, it had made things worse. Kimble never left his mind that whole day and his desire had burned well into the night, robbing him of all sleep. His body hungered in a way he had never felt before. He had to have Kimble again, he couldn't wait another whole day, a whole hour, another minute.

He had risen early that morning and couldn't stand to stay in his apartment for a moment longer, all thoughts of laying low evaporating. Yes, he wanted to look after Babette, but his nervousness disturbed even her and she booted him out, giving him a playful shove. "Go and find him, you! Leave me in peace!"

He obeyed his sister, smiling, and went to their now favorite Club, hoping for Kimble to come by, but the pilot never did. He had finally come out here, knowing Kimble had to show up sooner or later. He hadn't been waiting long and Kimble's arrival had left him breathless. The pilot was so beautiful and white in the sparkling sun. When Aiden had watched him take to the air with such grace and beauty, he shook from head to toe. No! This could not be happening to him! He couldn't afford to be in love for real, not now. Not while he was so alone and vulnerable. He had a job to do here and this was only going to make things more difficult.

He knew he shouldn't stay out here, he should go back to Babette and tend to her, but he simply couldn't pull himself away. He stood there, frozen in place with desire until he saw Kimble finally settle down. Kimble landed as gracefully as he'd taken off and flapped his wings, stretching out a little more. He walked over to a shaded area under one of the planes and sat down comfortable, lighting a cigarette.

Aiden watched him from his hiding place, trembling with desire and indecision. He felt a tug on his shirt and looked down. Of course it was Talalanay, First Born. He couldn't help but smile at the boy, but was sad. Talalanay's presence here meant he was sure to dream again tonight.

The child smiled up at him. _He's so beautiful, Aiden. I like him. I really do. He's special like me. Like us. Let's go say "hi", okay?_

Of course where there was one, there was always the other. Father paced nearby. His presence was powerful and commanding and true to his nature, he was quick to advise against anything that interfered with what they had planned. _He's in the way. We can't do our work if you're distracted with this one. You fucked him already. Forget him._

Aiden shivered and wept. He was torn between what he wanted and what he should do. His body was screaming, _Leave! Leave, now!_, but instead, he found himself walking over to where Kimble sat, trying to make it look casual. "Hey."

Kimble looked up at him and Aiden's heart soared when he saw the happy look in his eyes. The pilot was pleased to see him. "Hey, Aiden. Whatcha doin' out here?"

_Waiting for you._ "Oh, not'ing. Jusz takin' in szome szun, me. It'sz very bright 'ere."

"Yeah, I likes it."

"Can I szee you again?" Aiden asked directly, he had always been very up front and that would never change.

"Yer lookin' at me right now," Kimble teased in return, his eyes merry.

Aiden crouched down and boldly took Kimble's face in his hands. "I want to do szo much more dan look, eh?"

Kimble offered no resistance as he was next kissed and laid back onto the sand swept tarmac. All he wanted at that moment was more of what he'd gotten last night. He was already trembling, shaking with anticipation. Kimble knew Aiden sensed it, the Dreamer was growing ever more lustful and bold. Mindless of the fact that they were in a position to be observed, Kimble was groped madly, the drawstring on his sweatpants loose and the waist down before he knew it. He laughed at Aiden's nimble fingers and obvious skill, his head thrown back and his eyes closed against the sun. They were under a plane where it was somewhat cooler, but Kimble still jerked in shock when he felt the smooth wet heat of Aiden's mouth slide down on him. "Christ!"

"Heh, heh, not quite," Aiden replied in between strokes, "But t'anksz for ze compariszion."

"We're gonna git busted! Y' knows Logan's guys are watchin' us!"

Aiden glanced up, a tire from one of the large planes obstructed the view from the shack. They could still be seen well enough that the guards would not think they had wandered, but if a guard were to be playing really close attention, well... "Let zem szee. Mebbe dey like it, non? Our leetle show."

Kimble squirmed and thrashed, putting up a token fight, but Aiden wasn't going to let him up. He gave up quickly, enjoying this particular pleasure far too much. He lay back and closed his eyes again, just letting it flow.

Aiden felt the pilot's relent and went to work, eager to impress. He still couldn't believe he was here, giving worship to the god of his dreams. The very angel he'd glimpsed only from afar. The rhythm of his attention was slow and steady. He knew Kimble liked it rough, but he was hoping to gently ease the pilot from that path. It seemed to be working at the moment. He could see now the tight flexing of Kimble's abdominal muscles as he breathed harder and more deeply now, watched the contractions of that long, lovely tattoo. Kimble's back arched and he finished with a soft cry. The Dreamer chuckled, teasing gently as Kimble's waves of orgasmic bliss washed over him, "Oh, you szo szweet, yesz. You like dat, eh?"

Kimble couldn't reply, he was too busy shivering. He turned partway onto his side, gasping, and Aiden couldn't stop from staring at him with lovestruck eyes, any pretense of not having fallen for good a waste of time. Kimble was fantastically beautiful, all dusty and windblown. His shimmer was bright and sparkly now, a sign of his intense pleasure. His pale blue eyes were only half open and not focused. Dreamy, just the way Aiden thought a man should look when he was properly blown.

"What?" Kimble grunted drunkenly at him, a loopy smile on his face. He'd noticed Aiden's hungry stare and wasn't sure what Aiden was thinking so intensely. Aiden wasn't like anyone else, he could be so hard to read.

"Not'ing. I wasz juszt t'inkin'."

"Thinkin' what?"

"It wasz.. I ..." Aiden stammered, unable to articulate. How did you say that the one before was the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? That you've dreamed about him night after night? That you were already in love with him forever before you ever set eyes on him for real? That a love like this comes only once, that it can kill you with its intensity. Cripple you to the point of never being able to touch anyone else ever again. He couldn't even begin to try so he said instead, "I need a beer."

"Amen ta that. It's fuckin' hot out here."

Kimble dressed quickly and wobbled to his feet. His legs were like rubber and he could hardly keep himself up. Aiden laughed, putting an arm around him to steady him. "You ready?"

"Fer what?"

"A performancze like dat deszerve a bow, non?"

"What?" Kimble asked, bewildered, then laughed as Aiden turned in the general direction of the guard shack and bowed deep and low, dragging the pilot down into the act with him.

"T'ank you, t'anksz szo very much. We 'ere all week."

Kimble giggled like a kid, charmed by Aiden's arrogant playfulness. This was like having Remy, but so much better. This was an affair free from guilt or having to sneak around.

"Let'sz go. Aiden powerful t'irszty."

--------------------------

They made their way inside, laughing all the more when they saw the shadows of two men following them down the stairwell. Their guards were forced to trail them, always in sight or close to it. The Siskans cared not, but went into the nearest bar to sit and drink and smoke. Kimble was enjoying this intensely. They drank their beers and Aiden watched how fast Kimble got drunk. It was all the more endearing and he leaned forward to whisper, "Zey got camerasz in de bat'roomsz 'ere?"

"I dunno. I ain't never been in one. Why?"

Aiden just laughed and hauled Kimble to his feet, dragging him out of the bar and into the public men's room just outside. Kimble was drunk and laughing the whole time, his blurry eyes barely registering the fact that the bathroom had only three stalls and one of them was currently occupied. He was still giggling insanely as he was tossed into one of the others and pushed back against the wall. He could feel Aiden's desire for him, made all the more potent by their playful activities outside. Aiden hadn't gotten off, but he was thinking about taking care of that right now. Kimble laughed at him and teased, "What you doin', huh?"

"I'm gonna fuck your assz, make you szqueal like a leetle girl, neh?" Aiden replied, nice and loud so their little companion in the next stall could hear.

"Hey, you queers! Go somewhere else!" the guy protested, thumping his hand against the stall.

"Watch an' learn, eh?" Aiden replied and spun Kimble around.

Now Aiden knew this position offered trouble, it was too close of a re-enactment of yesterday. What he was hoping for was that enough tenderness had passed between them for this to not get out of hand again. This was a test, a test to see if Kimble's feelings had deepened as his own had become more true.

Kimble was too drunk and now too wound to argue about positioning. There was a certain thrill at Aiden's "in your face" attitude, about his lack of fear of doing this in public. It was something he'd never been bold enough to have and it only added to the rush. Kimble was lost quickly under Aiden's intense need and desire, his own want for use making this much too easy for his assailant. He was blasted by the Dreamer's Kundatesh as it whispered to him of Aiden's powerful lust and he found himself whimpering eagerly and begging to be taken. He couldn't wait another minute. Clothing came off rapidly, forming a pile on the floor between their legs. Aiden's powerful hands pressed him to the wall and when Aiden took him, he shuddered with a cry of pleasure that only encouraged his new lover to continue.

"Oh, come on!" the man beside them snarled and got up, making a noisy show of wiping his ass and flushing his toilet. He slammed his door and walked out, not even bothering to wash his hands.

"We alone now, usz. Too bad. Wasz 'opin' for another sztandin' ovation. Mebbe a nizce t'ree way, non?" Aiden joked, but there was a undertone of anger. Those of the flesh, the **Chuckfet**, would never understand, could never accept a pairing as miraculous as this. They had no idea of the gift he'd been given, of the breathtaking privilege of having this most precious of Siskans in his hands to pleasure, but he did. He refused to let a chance like this pass him by. The rest of the world could simply drop dead as far as he was concerned.

"Uhhnn!" Kimble groaned. It was all he could manage. "Don't stop!"

"Oh, don' you worry none 'bout dat, eh?" Aiden replied, shifting his attention back to the task at hand. The pace was frantic and less than gentle, but not the hard assault from the night before. Aiden was determined in his mission, he wasn't going to let Kimble throw him over the edge again like that. No, he was going to show this pilot he could receive a good dominating fuck without the pain. If Kimble was looking for a nice high, there was more than one way to get it.

Kimble was happy with the spontaneity of this, but as the moments passed he was once more feeling some frustration at how nice and easy this was going. He was used to the fear and panic that usually prompted him to release his backwash and Aiden was simply being too gentle for that. Kimble thrashed a little, trying to buck Aiden off and force him to go rougher, but Aiden was ready for him and was determined not to comply.

Aiden concentrated and forced his will on the pilot, commanding him with his powerful inner voice. **_/ You want to fight me? Go ahead an' try, you won' win. You will not forcze me like yeszterday. It don' mean you can't pull your leetle trick. You wanna releasze all dat love, go ahead. I won' sztop you. Go ahead, preszciouz. Knock yourszelf out. /_**

Kimble resisted, part of him staunchly refusing. _**/ You wants ta feels that again? Shure — but on my terms! Hit me!** **Bite me! Anthin' but this stupid lover's crap!**_

Aiden's anger surged, but he resisted its lure, refusing to let Kimble beat him again. Kimble was clever, but Aiden had a few tricks of his own up his sleeve. Now that the hard edge of his lust had been burnt away from their activities yesterday, he could afford to be leisurely. He slowed his pace even more, a deliberate tease, all the while keeping Kimble pinned firmly in place with his telekinetic power, dominating him completely without a bite or a bruise. He took the example of Kimble's actions yesterday and pleasured the pilot not with blows, but with repeated Kundatesh waves of intense affection, knowing that Kimble's heightened senses would enjoy them if he wanted to or not.

Aiden was doling out small doses of his immense love while trying to hide the true size of it. He didn't dare let Kimble know just how far gone he was, Kimble wasn't ready yet to know. There was just enough to make the pilot aware that Aiden was sincere in his efforts to show him that he was going to be more than some passing brutal fantasy for this broken pilot's shattered mind to play with.

Kimble was unhappy. He couldn't deny the pleasure of this, but it wasn't what he wanted. If he was going to be dominated, it was going to be done with pain, not this intense loving that only made him want to run. Too much love and he would be forced to walk away. He didn't want that, he wanted to enjoy Aiden for as long as possible. The Dreamer was becoming too much of what his inner self was wanting to have it end too soon. Kimble tried to fight and move about to goad the Dreamer into anger, but it wasn't happening. Instead, there was this buzzing in his head, one that spoke of love and tenderness. He didn't want to hear it. He wanted the bright sparkling heat of pain, of blows that shouted of his importance to the abuser, of how he was needed. All his efforts were in vain. Aiden kept him in place, not with bruises and bites, but with the stone wall prison of his unhurried, tender lovemaking.

Aiden felt Kimble try to fight him and laughed. It was a battle he wouldn't win, the Dreamer was far too skilled, far too committed to changing Kimble's perceptions of how this should be done. He opened up his mind a little more and risked everything by taking out his best weapon. It was an interesting choice of attack, one that could be seen by anyone, not just the gifted. As Aiden's hands passed over Kimble's body, as he kept shifting the pilot back into place when Kimble would try to throw him off, his fingers left trails of sparkling red and orange glitter against Kimble's bright white skin.

"Oh! Oh! Fuck!" Kimble shouted in surprise as his body reacted on its own with startling greed. His body knew what this was even if he didn't. It absorbed the glitter like water into a dry sponge and it was like having a thousand lovers kiss him all over, all at once. A million hugs from a million people who loved him deeply with their entire souls. A billion "I love you"s from a billion adoring children who wouldn't trade him in for the whole world. It was a love on a scale he had never imagined and quite personal, not the generic blast of love he'd given to Aiden. This was meant for him and only him. His Siskan body gobbled it down with incredible haste, his fractured and wounded heart screaming for more. It would never be enough, he had to have more!

Kimble couldn't possibly withstand something like that, not from something he hadn't expected. It was turnabout from their quick session yesterday. The same way Aiden had been bowled over from his backwash of Kundatesh, so now Kimble was overtaken by this strange new power. The pilot screamed choked laughter as he convulsed, a mind numbing orgasm torn from him by the brilliance of all the sensory overload.

Aiden finished immediately after, his triumph loud in his own mind, a high five in his own heart. He'd gotten Kimble to climax and climax hard without ever striking a blow, without all that ugly violence getting in the way. For one moment they had connected and their hearts had touched, a conjoined hug in space, one with real love and passion in it, not just a thing of empty brutal lust. The power of that connection made Aiden anticipate another blackout, but it didn't quite happen. It was there, a great wall of black threatening to take him but it hovered just out of reach. It was just as well, this was no place to get caught so entangled, he was lucky they hadn't been interrupted yet.

Still, he was quite proud of his victory. The glitter was an extension of his power, the Morrowhiem. It was one of his most prized assets in his arsenal, something he reserved only for the most favored of clients. The intense vibrations of lust between this precious pilot and himself and the true love hidden underneath them were much more powerful this time, their coupling yesterday only increasing their present attraction exponentially. Aiden knew his heart was gone from him for good now, he was crazy in love and a total goner. The thought of it made him shiver once more in intense pleasure and he swayed unsteadily, slipping rudely from Kimble's body as his own legs gave way.

Kimble came down with him. Aiden may have been spared a blackout, but Kimble hadn't. He'd been out cold for only a moment and just reviving when his support suddenly disappeared. They tangled painfully around each other as they collapsed, one of Aiden's hands plopping into the toilet as he fell. (No doubt, the designers of men's rooms did not exactly have this purpose in mind. Of course, if Aiden had been thinking a bit more clearly after that last beer, he might have selected the much larger handicapped stall. But, hey, when passion calls, common sense often flees...)

Aiden chuckled softly at the awkward situation, doing his best to extricate himself from around the porcelain bowl. "You okay, preciousz?"

Kimble lay where he was, twisted and tangled, and burst into another bout of giddy laughter in spite of being in pain. He was high and tingling as Aiden had been the day before, tripping on the rush of their coupling, and all too willing to ignore the love that he thought he'd felt hidden in all that glitter. Aiden hadn't been as in control of his feelings as he'd thought and some of that deep, true love had slipped out. No, Kimble was thinking, refusing to acknowledge that feeling was authentic. If it was real it meant he might have to put a stop to this and he just wasn't ready for that, not when he was as high as this. No, it was a mistake, he could forget it. Laugh, Kimble, laugh, and play. No trouble here.

Kimble was still laughing as Aiden shifted out from under him to a more comfortable position, adjusting the remains of their clothing for warmth against the cool tiles of the floor. The Dreamer propped himself up on one arm and looked down into Kimble's eyes, just drinking up the moment. Lost in the afterglow of another round of glorious sex, lost in the heat of his victory --- lost from the three beers he'd downed like nothing, and before he could stop himself ---- he announced in a voice rough from passion, "You ze moszt preciousz t'ing Aiden ever szee. Not'ing would bring me greater pleaszure dan to 'ear you laugh and szing like disz every day for ze reszt of my life. I'm gonna love you forever."

**_Dreamer!_ **Father shouted in alarm, flickering into view for a moment. _You pathetic romantic fool! How could you be this stupid!_

Kimble didn't hear Aiden's silent ghost. His laughter came to an abrupt halt as he suddenly blanched. "What did ya say?"

"I szaid — I szaid — I szaid szumpt'ing I shouldn't 'ave," Aiden stammered lamely, seeing the sudden panic on Kimble's face. The pilot's shine was swirling now, mixed anger and terror. "Aiden isz too drunk and 'isz mout' run away wit itszelf. Forget it."

Kimble rose suddenly, using his telekinetic power to levitate himself up and over the toilet. He snatched at his clothes, his hands shaking so badly he could hardly get them on. So much for ignoring that taste of true love he'd felt from Aiden, the deep rooted reality of it. How could he have been this stupid! **Never, never, never let anyone fall in love with you! **That was the rules! Already he could hear Lin rattling his chains inside, squeaking his tiny Siskan warnings.

"Keemble, wait!" Aiden said in rising fear, trying desperately to salvage this. He could see the distant look in Kimble's eyes and knew what it meant. "I didn't mean it!"

"Yes, ya did an' I'm sorry. I--- I cain't never sees ya again," Kimble said firmly, his lips in a thin white line. He was scared and upset, upset that this had to happen today. It was too soon, he'd wanted to enjoy Aiden for more than just the two days, but just his luck, it hadn't worked out that way.

"What!" Aiden gasped in shocked surprise at Kimble's words. He'd crossed the line and he knew that. He'd expected some words of fear, of a necessary slowing of the pace on things, but not a punishment on this scale. There was a sharp stabbing pain in his chest and he couldn't breathe. He looked for Father, but the ghost was gone, having shouted his disappointment and vanishing, leaving the Dreamer to deal with this on his own. Aiden was at a loss. No, this wasn't possible. How could Kimble not want him as badly as this? "Didn't you like it? Don' you want me?" he asked, unable to hide the whine of pain there.

"Of course I did. An' I do wants ya," Kimble said, moving away. "It ain't you. I don' lets no one stay, that's it. Don' try ta push it with me cuz I ain't changin' m' mind no matter how good you wuz."

"I don' undersztand!" Aiden protested, raising his voice in anger. "Mebbe Aiden get a little carried away, but I know you love me. I felt it more dan oncze! You cannot 'ide disz from me!"

"**You don't know who I am!" **Kimble shouted suddenly with a pained sob, his frustration causing a small pulse of his telekinetic power to slip away from him. It hit the mirror over the sinks and shattered it, sending cracks right through it. Kimble took one look at that, at his shattered reflection, and his terror exploded. He screamed and started to gag, his gorge rising against his control.

"Non!" Aiden cried and reached out for him. He knew as well as anyone that for a Siskan to vomit, he's on the edge of breaking, he'd been there so many times himself. Remy had come to Trishnar's with tales of this fractured 'gram, but the details had been sparse. Aiden had no idea why Kimble was freaking out so badly, why the mirror had terrified him so. What a fucking nightmare!

Kimble jerked away from Aiden's touch, his hand over his mouth in a feeble attempt to stop his rising gorge. "Stay away from me! You don' know what I've done!"

"Tell me zen! Can't be anyt'ing worsze dan what I've done myszelf!"

"I cain't! You'll hates me!"

"Don't be szo stupid!" Aiden bellowed, his anger and frustration overtaking his reason. "Aiden isz Sziszkan! A Kintay like you! What make you t'ink Aiden szo free from hisz own trouble? Dat'sz what makesz our love szo szpecial! What we 'ave isz not a leetle t'ing! It'sz real! It'sz alive!"

His words had the opposite effect desired. Kimble's response was a giant heave and then he was hurling gel and half digested beer all over his feet. Aiden reached for him again but the door suddenly slammed open and Logan was there. "Hey, ladies. What's goin' on in here?"

Aiden backed up into the stall defensively, his hands fisted automatically. He'd just lost control of the situation and there was nothing he could do about it now. The fact was, he was in no position to challenge the authority here, not just yet. "Not'ing. Keemble 'ave too much to drink."

Logan didn't buy that feeble excuse for a minute, he'd lived with the pilot for far too long. There was only one reason Kimble threw up and it had nothing to do with beer. He snorted at Aiden and sneered, "Looks like he wasn't the only one. Why don'tcha get some pants on, sweetcheeks."

Aiden snarled in anger and grabbed for his shorts.

Meanwhile Kimble had stumbled to one knee. He was shaking badly and trying not to cry as he watched the gel he'd sicked up shimmer and disappear. His head was down and he was muttering softly, "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Max had come in with Logan and he reached down to comfort the stricken pilot, easing him to his feet. As much as he was trying to help, he was uncomfortable with Kimble's display of emotional weakness as were the rest of Logan's men, he had never seen a grown man break down like this, tears were streaming down Kimble's face now. Worse than that had been Aiden's nudity, it left little doubt as to what had gone on in here. The idea of two men going at it made him shiver with revulsion. "Take it easy there, buddy," he stammered lamely to Kimble, trying not to look as embarrassed as he felt.

"You two put on quite a little show for my boys today," Wolverine growled, looking at Aiden in particular. Kimble would never have been so bold on his own and he knew it. "They get paid ta put up with that crap but the public doesn't. There could've easily been some kid in here. This ain't a brothel, ya can't just up and fuck wherever ya please!"

"Szo szorry, miszter Wolv'rine, szir. Muszt've misszed ze no fuckin' szign on ze door," Aiden retorted in his best snotty voice. He was infuriated by the vibrations of disgust and embarrassment coming from Max and the others. So very typical of the **Chuckfet**, so typically cruel. Really, what could these people expect after denying them access to a private place to play? As far as he was concerned they'd been tricked into this trouble deliberately.

"Oh, yer real hilarious, Z," Logan returned, showing his teeth in an angry sneer. "I told you what would happen if you two pulled this crap again, but I guess yer both just plain deaf. Stolen badges, sneakin' all around? You think everything here is a fuckin' game. Well, if this is all a game, let me show you how the big boys play. Both of ya're bein' detained fer public indecency. Hope you enjoy it!"

"Wait!" Aiden protested but it was too late. The room swarmed with Logan's men and they were being dragged out and down to the nearest security station.

To be continued in Turbulence.


End file.
